Stripes
by Ice Lynx
Summary: AU Sequal to "Milana, Daughter of Mystery" story and "2 Kids and a Grouch". Steph, Remy, and Danial join up to meet tiger girls, crazed mutants, and the other sides of themselves while dealing with overprotective parents at the same time.
1. The Mission

I, Ice Lynx, proudly present an AU sequal to "Milana, Daughter of Mystery" and "Two Kids and a Grouch", two of the best rated stories I've posted.

Yay for me n' giveGodtheGlory to that!

I wrote this 'un by myself, and basically it combines the two words of the afore mentioned stories, taking place a bit after both, and though other stories of mine are based after them, this is not ment to be a prequal to any of them.

I really hope you enjoy the story, I'll need reviews to post, n' be on the lookout for familiar and partialy mentioned characters in both stories!

-Ice Lynx

----------------------------------

Remy looked up angrily, his black and red eyes flashing as he jumped over the desk and sent his opponent into the back wall with a swift kick, his black trench coat swirling around him as he landed on all fours and the man groaned and slowly got up.  
  
"Who taught you that?" he said queasily. "Let me guess, your father?" Remy stood, his Bo staff held ready in one hand while the other held a playing card, ready to be charged with kinetic energy.  
  
"Yes," he replied shortly.  
  
"Well good for him then," the man heaved, slowly standing up and leaned backwards against a wall, a cut on his cheek bleeding softly, a thin red line of blood extending down his face and dripping onto his neck. "Was he a mutant as well?"  
  
"Better decent mutie den murderin' human," Remy replied, "An' specially better den murderin' humans who t'ink dey own de world."  
  
"Oh, I don't own the world," the man said, smiling. "Just the money flowing through it." Remy jumped forward, his card disappearing as he used both hands to press the Bo staff into the man's neck, making him look up at the ceiling and choke.  
  
"What did ya say?" he growled.  
  
"I say nothing," the man said coldly. "Because you mutants would kill me anyway, whether or not I gave you any information."  
  
"Den you right," Remy growled. "You killed many mutants wit dat money, an' ya die in debt."  
  
"You all deserve death," the man hissed.  
  
Remy walked out of the room a moment later, holding his Bo staff in one hand and running the other through his short, curly purple hair and sighing. It wasn't a messy job getting into the building, but what happened inside was a different matter completely.  
  
"That was interesting." Remy whirled around when he heard the voice behind him, finding a girl a bit younger than him, definitely no older than 16 at was leaning on the doorframe, looking inside the room with electric yellow eyes and short, bright yellow hair that stuck up in two inch spikes. She was dressed in tight black leather pants and a zipped up vest to match, feet bare and a long metal claw that was held to her right index finger by a metal frame that encased her whole lower hand. Two large silver hoop earrings hung from her ears and her eyebrow and lip were pierced with smaller hoops. Metal rings covered all of her fingers besides the one with the man-made claw.  
  
Remy stared at her, surprised to see the teen and taking a step backwards, bo staff raising slightly.  
  
"Who are you?" he said suspiciously. The girl looked at him.  
  
"Name's Hype, and you would be Remy something or other?" she said, arching a yellow eyebrow. Remy blinked as he heard her English accent and then nodded. "Oh, glad we've got that settled, you did do an interesting job in there," she remarked, looking back into the room.  
  
"I don't like killin', chere," Remy said in a flat voice. "What d'ya want?"  
  
"Me? Want something?" Hype said, looking innocent. "The assumptions you older chaps make these days! Really, I beat generation Z by years."  
  
"Funny, I always t'ought it's Gern'ration X," Remy said, arching his own eyebrow.  
  
"Ach, nah, I'm in the thick of that, then, you are too, we all are," Hype said gesturing her arm vaguely. "All of us mutants, everyone that men like that hate."  
  
"Ah, I see," Remy said, nodding. "Well den, I s'pose I'll see you later petite." He turned and was halfway towards the stair case when he heard a crackling sound behind him. Turning he saw Hype completely engulfed in sparks of electricity, her metal claw stuck in an outlet that was in the hall. Remy watched in surprise and fascination as the girl calmly looked up at him, and took out her claw, her eyes glowing bright yellow as sparks still ran through her earring and metal jewelry, when suddenly she moved nearly as fast as Quicksilver, hitting Remy in the chest and sending him crashing backwards.  
  
"Ah!" Remy yelled, trying to strike back, but before he could make sense of what was going on he felt something hard hit the side of his head and he lapsed into darkness, seeing, hearing, and knowing nothing more.


	2. The Return

Remy slowly came to and raised his head off the floor, groaning as he fell back and then painfully rolled over and rose to all fours and reached for his Bo staff, finding it was gone. Immediately Remy's eyes snapped into focus and he cleared his mind, looking all over for his weapon but not finding it. Then he reached a hand to his coat pockets and found they were all turned inside out, both the pack of smokes and the pack of cards he usually carried gone.  
  
"Ugh," he said, falling back over, his head aching. Hype, he thought, must have knocked him out and then taken his things. Some thief he was, getting robbed that easily. Of course his father would laugh and then get Professor Xavier to find Hype, and take Remy with him to go find Hype and either get her to join the X Men or rob her back, depending on how cooperative she was.  
  
After a moment Remy got to his feet and slowly walked down the seven flights of stair and into the parking area, finding his motorcycle, at least, was still there and the keys in his back pocket. Climbing on slowly he put the keys in the ignition and then drove off, calmly making his way through traffic and then thinking about the kid. A midget high school teen had robbed him. It made even him smile.  
  
A few people stopped cold when they saw Remy drive by, and he realized he wasn't wearing his sunglasses. How careless of him, he thought grimly. His father would not be very happy with him for forgetting to cover his eyes in public. But as he reached for the glasses in his pocket he found they were also missing. So all he had were his clothes and his bike, great.  
  
Finally he went beyond Westchester and then saw the mansion in front of him, pulling into the garage and getting off his bike, still suffering from a serious headache.  
  
"Remy? Is that you?" a purple furred woman walked into the garage, a dish towel swung over her slender shoulders as she looked at Remy with large blue eyes. She was dressed in straight legged blue pants and a matching T- shirt. When she saw Remy she gasped and hurried over, putting her hands up to his face and lifting his chin. "What happened?" she demanded, getting a stern look on her face.  
  
"Nut'ing," Remy said, shifting uncomfortably. "Jus'-"  
  
"Remy Kurt LeBeau," said his mother, putting her hands on her hips. "Don't give me any of your excuses! You're as bad as your father. Were you attacked? Where are your- were you robbed?!"  
  
"Robbed?" Remy said quickly, looking up. "Ma, I... yes."  
  
"And they hit you? Was that why you were out all night? I knew it!" she said, looking paler and worried now. Then she looked at Remy's head again, not letting go of his chin. "You're bleeding, you'd better go down to Hank so he can make sure it's not infected or-"  
  
"Ma!" Remy said, groaning and pulling away. "I gotta go see de professor n' report back!" Milana Wagner sighed and shook her head.  
  
"You truly are your father's son," she said. Then she smiled and kissed Remy on the cheek. "Hurry and go tell the professor you're back, but then head straight down to Hank, do you understand?" Remy groaned good-naturedly and left, heading up in the elevator and reaching the right floor he stepped out and found Danial waiting to get on.  
  
Groaning for real Remy turned his head to the right to hide his injury, walking off quickly. Unfortunately Danial, immediately upon seeing Remy, turned and followed, catching up, his red head looking as if it was on fire as it also stuck up in some areas, giving him a very disheveled appearance, the exact opposite of his perfectionist style.  
  
"Hey Remy! You're back!" he said. "Wow, it took you all night to complete the assignment? What happened? Did you do any fighting? Was the guy even there?"  
  
"Bonjur," Remy said through gritted teeth, reaching the professor's door and knocking and walking in, leaving Danial in the hall, the telepath knew he wouldn't be allowed in. Inside Remy came face to face with Danial's father, Scott Summers, and his own father already talking with Xavier, who sat behind his desk.  
  
"Remy!" Remy Sr. said, grinning and standing up. "You were successful?" Remy nodded and tried to smile.  
  
"Mr. Gallaway won't be bothren' no more muties," he said.  
  
"What happened to your head?" Scott asked tersely from besides Xavier, noticing the cut that Remy's father was unable to see.  
  
"What?" Remy Sr. said immediately, taking his son's chin in one hand and pushing it to one side, finding the cut and repeating Scott's question. Remy Jr. shrugged.  
  
"Dere was a girl," he said. "After I finished, n' she talk wit me, an' when I try'n leave, she stuck 'er 'and in a socket n' den knocked me out, took my staff n' shades n' cards."  
  
"You were robbed by another mutant?" Xavier said, looking interested. "Do you know who it was?"  
  
"A fille," Remy replied. "An' she stuck 'er hand in an electric socket, then knocked me out faster den Quicksilver could."  
  
"An' you didn't defend yourself?" his father said, crossing his arms.  
  
"I tried," Remy muttered, looking down.  
  
"Well, I think this may call for some investigation, if there is a new mutant in the area and we do not know her intentions," Xavier said. "What do you think Remy?"  
  
"I t'ink my son needs t' watch his back when on a mission," Remy Sr. said, looking at his purple haired son, who remained motionless, looking at the floor. "An' he needs t' go see Hank."  
  
"But-" Remy started.  
  
"What did your mama say?" Remy Sr. said, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"I'll go," his son sulked, then he turned and walked out of the room, only to be immediately flanked again by Danial.  
  
"Hey, did you get in trouble for staying overnight?" Danial asked. "What's up with your head anyway?"  
  
"Go 'way," Remy said moodily.  
  
"You can't make me," Danial replied simply. "So what happened?"  
  
"Nut'in," Remy said.  
  
"Oh, you were robbed?" he asked. Remy whirled around, furiously grabbing Danial and pinning him to a wall.  
  
"I don' member givin' ya permission t' read my mind, mes ami," he snarled. Danial stared at him with large eyes, his mouth working furiously.  
  
"I- you- you were projecting," he said.  
  
"Liar," Remy hissed. "I wasn't even t'inking 'bout it."  
  
"What is going on?" Scott demanded, marching out of Xavier's office. "Remy, let Danial go, what happened?"  
  
"He was readin' my mind," Remy said. Scott gave his son a stern look.  
  
"Danial?"  
  
"Sorry," Danial said, lowering his gaze. "I didn't mean to-"  
  
"What have your mother and I told you about prying into other people's private thoughts?" Scott said.  
  
"Not to." Remy hid a smile and walked away, knowing Danial was about to get the lecture all over again anyway. Stupid brat, he deserved it.  
  
"Good morrow young Remy," Hank said, looking up as Remy walked through. "What brings you down to my humble realm of medicine and discovery?"  
  
"Hey," Remy replied, then pointed at his forehead. Hank got up calmly and walked over, looking at it and then nodding.  
  
"Of course, wait here sir Gambler, and I shall have you fit to go on your missions again in no time."  
  
"Gambler," Remy repeated. "Firs' time in a while you call me dat, somethin' wrong?"  
  
"No, of course not," Hank said immediately. Remy rolled his eyes.  
  
"What is it?" he said.  
  
"Nothing, junior LeBeau," Hank said, turning away.  
  
"Fine den, I'll stay here till ya fess up," Remy said, jumping on a med table as Jean walked in, smiling at Remy.  
  
"Oh, hello," she said. Remy smiled back at her. As much as he disliked her son, Jean Summers was a very nice lady, and he could understand why Logan had once had a crush on her.  
  
"Bonjur," Remy said. "I t'ink you may know why de doc's acting ill?"  
  
"He is?" Jean said. "That must be because-"  
  
"Now here we are," Hank interrupted hastily. Remy arched an eyebrow as he came over and Jean hid a smile. As Hank cleaned up the cut Remy closed his eyes.  
  
Jean? he projected.  
  
Yes?  
  
Why is de doc all flustered?  
  
He's meeting a lady friend for coffee later.  
  
"No!" Remy said, bursting out laughing and pulling away from Hank, who sighed and lowered the gauze and turned to look at Jean.  
  
"Was it necessary to tell him that?" he asked. Jean smiled and shrugged.  
  
"You wouldn't have gone out of the mansion without Logan knowing, and with him knowing it won't be long before the rest of them do too," the telepath said.  
  
"Young LeBeau, would you mind suppressing your mirth for one moment?" Hank asked. Remy wiped the tears from his eyes and calmed down enough to look at Hank before he snorted, trying to hold back more laughter.  
  
"'Pologies," he managed, gasping for air.  
  
"You need to understand," Hank began but Remy cut him off.  
  
"Don' tell no one, right?"  
  
"I would be most thankful, I intended only Dr. Summers to know for now, but- "  
  
"I'm sorry Hank, I really am," Jean said, trying not to smile as Remy giggled again.  
  
"De lonely doc ain't so lonely now?" he said, nudging Hank's arm.  
  
"She's just a friend, Remy," Hank said.  
  
"You'd tell me dat de day you walk down de isle wit her," Remy snorted. Hank sighed.  
  
"Well if it would cease your incessant teasing, I might," Hank said. Remy laughed again as Hank finished putting a bandage over his forehead.  
  
"So how did the big mission go?" Jean asked as Remy started out the door. Remy paused and looked over his shoulder, his source of entertainment no longer funny as he thought of the confrontation with the bounty officer.  
  
"Ask Danial," he said, then walked out.  
  
"Hmm, I get the feeling his brave venture alone didn't go so well," Hank said thoughtfully.  
  
"Perhaps," Jean said, then grinned. "But you need to focus on getting ready for your big date." Hank looked up in annoyance as she giggled.  
  
"She's just a friend," he repeated. 


	3. The Plan

The Remy I have been refering the most to, as is mentioned earlier, is the child of Remy LeBea and Milana Wagner, therefore looking almost exactly like his father but with sharper, longer teeth and purple hair.

Loved the reviews, I hope I'll get more though....

-Ice Lynx

-------

"Rem, hey Rem!" Remy looked up from his plate of food as he saw Logan and Ororo's adopted daughter Steph run up, skidding on the floor and running into the table with an "oof!".

"Hey," Remy replied. "What're ya runnin' round for petite? You'll break somethin', and de professor wasn't 'appy wit de clock las' week."

"Hey, you weren't supposed ta know that!" Steph said, making a face. Remy laughed.

"Petite, I heard de crash on de other side o' de mansion," he said. Steph sat down, her long orange hair falling over her incredibly dark skin and brown eyes as she scowled at him.

"You're such a brat," she said. Remy nodded through a mouthful of food as Steph got a mischievous smile on her lips. "You heard 'bout Hank?" she asked. Remy nodded. "Well, I was wondering if ya wanna come with me tonight, I'm gonna follow our furry blue friend and see what's up with the gal he likes so much as to actually venture out of his medlab to see."

"You goin'?" Remy said, arching a purple eyebrow. Steph nodded and laughed, pointing at his bandage.

"The guy hit you?" she said. "You let a human-"

"Mutie, dere was a girl dere after I finished," Remy said shaking his head. "An' she surprise me more den you." Steph looked offended.

"Where is she? I'm gonna kill her- wait, you were out all night weren't ya? Did ya resolve your differences 'n-"

"I would advise ya t' quit while ya have a head," Remy growled. "She knocked me out." Steph smiled.

"Then I should thank her and congratulate her on doing what I've been longing to for years," she said. "Anyway, ya wanna come tonight or not?"

"Anyone else commin'?" Remy asked. Steph made a face.

"Who else would I ask? Danial? He'd run to his mama and 'father' and I'd get in trouble," she said. "That's why I've been avoiding him all after- shh, here comes my pop. Hey daddy!" Steph said, throwing her head back and making her eyes huge as Logan walked up behind her and growled.

"What're ya up to?" he said suspiciously. Steph tried to look offended as she straightened her Levi vest.

"What makes ya think I'm up t' anything?" she demanded.

"Ya never call me 'daddy' unless yer 'bout t' get me into trouble with Chuck or ya already did somethin' and-or ya want somethin' that's gonna cost me money," Logan replied, sitting down with his own plate of food.

"Fine then," Steph said grumbled. "Can I go with Remy tonight?" Logan looked over at Remy suspiciously, who was glaring at Steph, who knew perfectly well what she had gotten him into. If he told her no now he'd have to hide somewhere all night to avoid getting the two of them in trouble with Logan and Hank, and now he'd have to make up an excuse on the spot anyway for where they were supposed to go.

"Fer what?" Logan demanded. Remy thought fast.

"I'm goin' t' the new dance club," he said. "In Wes'chester."

"Club?" Logan repeated.

"It's for teens," Steph said, making a face. "Like I'd want to go to some bar."

"You would, given half the chance," Logan said, grunting. "Fine, if it's ok with Milana and LeBeau Sr. ya can go. I'm assumin' this'll require cash too?"

"Thirty," Steph said, nodding. Logan pulled out his wallet.

"Twenty, an' I want all yer change too. An' no boys, beer, or-"

"Fun, yeah, I know all your rules," Steph said, rolling her eyes. Remy smiled and Logan nodded.

"Good," he said, standing up and picking up his tray of food again.

"What about cigars?" Steph asked. Logan growled at her. "Guns? Knives? Drugs?" Logan just shook his head and walked away and Steph turned back to Remy. "See how easy that was?"

"But now I gotta go," Remy moaned. Steph grinned.

"Accourse! Hey, do ya know where Rogue went? I think she was watching Ruhko, but-" Steph stopped in mid-sentence as she heard her older sister scream from the hallway near the cafeteria.

"NO! NOT TH'-" Suddenly a resounding boom echoed through the cafeteria and in a flash Steph was in the air, flying over to the doorway and flipping upside down in midair, shooting down just as a small girl with skin as dark as Steph's and a head of curly black hair ran through. Steph grabbed the kid around the middle and did a summersault, landing on her butt with her little sister in her arms.

"Ruhko!" the teen said, acting shocked that her sister was in her arms. The four year old turned and looked at her, giggling madly.

"Heyya Stephny," she said. Suddenly Rouge appeared, breathing hard and looking around madly, then dropping to her knees and wailing, her hair a complete mess.

"She got tha grandfather clock!" she said. "The one you missed las' week! Ah dunno what Ah'm gonna do! The Professah'll kill me!" Steph grinned and stood up, holding Ruhko in her arms and looking at her.

"Sounds like that'll be a good show t' me," she said. "Ya wanna come watch too Ruk?" Rogue glared at her.

"It's not funnah," she said through gritted teeth.

"I beg yer pardon," Remy said from his table. "It's very funny chere." Rogue glared at him.

"Yoh ass gettin' whipped, tha's funnah," she growled.

"Lighten up Rogue," Steph said, looking at Ruhko, who giggled. "She's only three."

"She's four, an' a monstah," Rogue said. "An' you can watch her now."

"Alright, but ya get her tonight, at 5:30 latest, I've got plans," Steph said. Rogue turned and marched away, still growling. Steph looked at Ruhko and then shook her head.

"Honestly, I can't see why ya don't behave for her, now go eat lots of sugar and bug daddy," she said, setting Ruhko on the floor.

"Rug go bye a bye n' daddy too," Ruhko said, then screamed and tore off as fast as her little legs could carry her. Steph sighed, a dreamy smile on her face and her eyes half closed as she put her hands on her hips.

"I love her," she said. "That's just it, I love that holy terror, and someday I'm gonna have one of my own."

"Aw," Remy said, coming and standing next to her, looking at Ruhko as she ran past other students, definitely disturbing the peace. "You like 'er more den Remy?"

"A lot more than Remy," Steph growled, her smiled falling away. "Tons more than Remy, I may have to kill Remy because I love her so much more than him."

"Funny chere," Remy said, laughing and walking away.

"Hey Rem," Steph said, grabbing his coat. "You can't leave now, I'm stuck with Ruhko 'till 5:30 and the cafeteria is the only place completely three-year-old-with-claws proof!"

"She's four," Remy said, laughing. Steph blinked.

"She adds a year every time I check," she said.

"You never check petite, dat's why you don't know."

"Shut up," Steph said, waving her hand. Just then they heard a bang as Ruhko knocked over a plate of sandwiches and some of the students groaned loudly. "Well, almost completely four-year-old-with-claws proof, but hey, no place is perfect."

"Aw chere, I gotta go get ready for t'night," Remy said, pulling away. "I gotta get my smokes n' more cards n' a Bo staff."

"That mutant girl took them all?" Steph said, shaking her head. "Well fine, but I doubt Hank and his new love will suddenly attack us."

"But maybe de girl will," Remy said, winking and then walking away.

"Yeah, go on, leave!" Steph called after him. "Leave me here with this little beast!"

"You love 'er chere!" Remy replied, not turning or stopping.

"Huh, go on, I don't wanna see your purple head around here anyway! You're a horrible influence on Ruhko, I bet that plate of chicken she just demolished was completely inspired by you!"

"Dat's right chere."

"You stinker!"

"Yup."


	4. The Invstigating

Thanks for the reviews!!!

DeNile; Remy Jr. n' Steph are both 17 in this- Danial almost 17. Rogue is around nineteen. Yes, Rogue, Steph, and Ruhko are all sisters, Logan adopted them with Ororo. For the full story read "Two Kids and a Grouch". Remy Jr. has no love interest at the moment, which will tell you right there that he's got some of Kurt still in him even through the generations, though he gravitates towards Steph. The Yellow haired lass is a baddie right now. I'm really glad you liked it.

Navi-Zero; So glad t' hear it! I'll be lookin' for ya (puts on begging face you will review again won't ya?)

Blackfox1; hey- long time no see! smiles Remy's hair is still brown- the Remy you've been reading is his son, who takes the color from his mother's fur.

Well- glad y'all liked it, would really love some more feedback!!!

-Ice Lynx

--------------

"Hullo gramps," Remy said, chewing on a tooth pick and walking into the Danger Room to find Kurt in the middle of a handstand. With a surprised grunt Kurt toppled over, then pulled himself into a sitting-up position, smiling at Remy with his fangs when he saw his grandson smiling back at him.

"Oh, I thought you vere your father," he said, as Remy strode forward and helped him up.

"I get dat a lot," Remy said. "An' all de old villains, dey t'ink I am him, wit dyed hair!"

"You share the looks and name," Kurt said, nodding and chuckling.

"And the charm too, that typical scoundrel charm that every LeBeau has," said a voice in the loudspeaker. Looking up Remy saw his mother smiling and leaning over the control panel.

"Ma?" Remy said, then he looked at Kurt.

"Milana thought her old man could not do a simple handstand," Kurt smiled. "I vos showing her othervise, till you broke my concentration." Remy grinned and immediately rolled into a handstand, his coat falling behind him as he walked on his hands around Kurt.

"Ya can't do dis," he boasted. Kurt laughed.

"No, but I can do this," he said, pushing Remy's legs and making the teen topple over himself.

"Whoa!" Remy cried, then started to laugh as he jumped to his feet.

"Really dad, don't injure him right after a mission," Milana chided.

"He is young, see? He can spring right back up," Kurt said as Remy dusted his sleeves off.

"I'm still better den an old man," Remy said, flashing his white teeth, which had grown to be a little bit sharper than normal teeth, though unable to be classified as fangs like Kurt's were.

"Then you should find one and show him that, now vot do you vant?" Kurt asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"More important, what did Hank say about your head?" Milana said, coming down to stand next the boys.

"Ah, my head's fine," Remy said. "Jus' a little sore. But de doctor has a-"

"Shh," Milana said. "We're not supposed to know that, be quiet."

"Know vot?" Kurt asked, looking interested.

"Nut'ing," Remy said, smiling mischievously.

"Vot?" Kurt demanded, looking from Remy to Milana.

"Dad, it's a secret Hank entrusted with Jean, I can't tell you," Milana said, holding out her hands in mock-despair.

"Remy, if you are keeping secrets from your grandfather..." Kurt started.

"Sorry gramps," Remy said, "You'll know t'morrow."

"Ugh!" Kurt said throwing his hands up in the air. "Ven you two started getting so mysterious, I don't know!"

"I was always mysterious dad," Milana said, smiling. "You just never asked me anything."

"Oh yeah," Remy said, remembering what he had come in search of his mother for in the first place. "Ma, can I go wit Steph t' de new dance club t'night?" Milana looked at him, hands on hips as she let out a sigh.

"You're never going to stop running around, are you?" she said. "Fine then, but be home by eleven, tops, got it?" Remy nodded and the bid his mother and grandfather farewell, walking out and hearing Kurt go back into a handstand as his mother chuckled.

---

"Ok, Ruhko's with Rogue, Hank's walking towards the front door, and I'm ready to go!" Steph said, bouncing on Remy's bed, her black trench coat fluttering out behind her over her usual outfit of tight dark blue jeans and a white tank top and heavy combat boots. Remy tested out his new Bo staff and frowned.

"I need my old staff back," he said crossly.

"Well you'll get it ya fart," Steph said. "Your dad n' the professor are working on it as we speak, they'll find the brat who took ya out and get your stuff back. Now are ya coming or not?" Remy sighed and pulled his coat on over his white night shirt and baggy black pants, then grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a new deck of cards, picked up his staff again and sighed.

"Ready t' go spyin'," he said. Steph made a face.

"It's not spying," she said. "It's investigating secretively. So we've got till eleven huh? That's plenty of time, unless-"

"De doc ain't dat kinda man," Remy interrupted, smiling.

"Well, he's never had a date in dad or mom's memory, who knows what kinda date guy he is?" Steph said. Then she sighed. "I sure hope they don't get married."

"Chere, I t'ink dis is de firs' date, dey aren't gonna go get married t'night," Remy said rolling his eyes as he dug up an old pair of sunglasses out of his drawer, then followed Steph as she walked out of the door and down the hall.

"Remember Brittany Spears?" Steph replied.

"She got divorced de same night practically," Remy laughed.

"I know, but what if it's love at first sight or somethin'?" Steph said. "That's what happened to Scott and Jean, and Kurt and his wife, at least, that's what he says, I'd find it hard to immediately fall for a furry guy with one look."

"What about dat guy, Newton? De one who came las' year, was all green. You fell hard for him petite," Remy said, laughing. Steph glared at him.

"That was a mistake, I mean seriously, and his name was not Newton, it was Isaac and ya know it ya rotten thief!"

"Hey, I haven't taken nut'ing in de las... day."

"A personal record, I know."

"Shh, dere he is, he's pulling out de front!" Remy said, pointing out the window they had come to.

"Oh, look! One of the mansion's sport cars, that must mean she's a fun-loving sporty kinda gel!" Steph said, noticing the red convertible Hank was in. Remy suppressed a snort of laughter.

"Dat's Scott's car," he said.

"Wow, this must be really important for Hank if he's risking getting fried for it," Steph said. Now hurry up or we'll loose him!" Opening the window Remy jumped through and landed perfectly, finding his motorcycle right where he left it earlier, then kicked it into life and pulled on his sunglasses, looking up and seeing Steph waiting for him in the air he rode off, keeping near the driveway and watching Steph, who was following Hank with her eyes in case Remy, who couldn't get close enough to risk Hank seeing him, lost their quarry.

After riding for about half an hour and reaching a suburban area Steph suddenly flew down low in front of Remy and forced him to slow down.

"He's goin' into the café just down the rode, stop ya idiot or he'll see us!" Remy swerved his bike into a parking lot behind a gas station and turning it off, then pulling out a small button-like dot and putting it on the underside of it when he got off. "What's that- a tracker? You're putting a tracker on your bike?" Steph said, laughing.

"I don' take chances wit my bike," Remy said. "Now what do we do?"

"Go do some investigating, secretively," Steph smiled. "I thought we already went over that Rem."

"Yeah," Remy said sighing and following Steph.

"Hey look, there she is!" Steph said excitedly as she reached the café window and looked through, spotting Hank almost immediately even with his image inducer on, the old Hank showed clearly with his red hair and freckles and still-large frame.

"She's pretty," Remy said, also looking through. The woman had dark hair, dark eyes, and pale skin and was wearing a black skirt and shawl over a brown shirt, and was looking at Hank keenly as he talked, smiling the whole time and in his blue suit, which clashed with his hair, though it clashed nicely.

"Not as pretty as me though," Steph said.

"No, way prettier den you chere," Remy said, smiling and receiving a punch on the shoulder. "Ow, ok, she ain't as pretty as you! Now what?"

"We wait and watch and see if he kisses her!" Steph said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wait? Aw petite, I had better t'ings t' do den watch Doc all night!" Remy groaned.

"Like what?" Steph challenged.

"Like help de professor find dat girl," Remy said, sitting down under the windowsill as Steph remained standing and watching. "Or trainin' in de Danger Room."

"Hey, I could've been watching the Teletubbie Marathon with Ruhko, but this is way more interesting and not as hammer-on-the-head all night," Steph said, shrugging. "Now quit complaining and let me spy- er- investigate secretively in peace!"

"Yeah yeah chere, you do dat."

"Fine, I will."

"Good."


	5. The Gang

"This is so dull!" Steph said, sitting down next to Remy and checking her watch. "We've been here an hour and all we know is that Hank can talk a lot and that woman never says a word. I wonder if she even knows he's really blue and furry? I mean, that's who he is, that orange haired dude that image inducer brings back is so not him anymore!"

"Yeah, n' I know it been n' hour petite," Remy grumbled, looking down at his playing cards as he played another game of solitaire. "I ben waitin' here de whole time."

"Hey, uh, Rem?"

"Yeah?"

"What did the girl who attacked you look like?" Steph asked. Remy didn't look up from his cards as he scowled.

"Wearin' loads a silver n' black, n' yellow hair wit big yellow eyes, a big claw on one hand, why?" Steph didn't answer, instead used her hand to push Remy's head up. Remy froze when he saw what Steph had noticed before him; Hype was sitting on a bench across the street, twirling Remy's staff in the air. It was clear she hadn't noticed either of the two teens yet, but Remy was ready to jump up and charge her, if Steph hadn't been holding him back for knowing her friend.

"Dat's her," he spat.

"Quiet," Steph hissed, "She ain't alone!" and Steph, of course, was right.

From down the street came a whole band of about five of what were obviously mutants, one of them being bigger than Hank. All of them were dressed in the same basic clothing, black leather vests, pants, and black boots, but every one of them had their own special addition to their uniforms. As Hype's claw and metal jewelry were obviously for her, the others had accessories that were specialized for each of them. One blue haired girl had aqua gloves that reached up past her elbows and a necklace with an aqua gem on it hanging on her chest. The only other girl in the group had a wild, savage look about her, bearing fangs and claws out in the open, metal bands clasped around her wrists, ankles, and neck and her bushy brown and blonde hair hung to past her shoulders, tangled and greasy.

The boys were also rag tag even in uniform, the large one had brown strips all over his suit and a heavy construction chain hung loosely around his neck. Another had short brown hair but two long green bangs that reached his chin. A silver gun and a dagger with a green gem set in the hilt hung at his waist as his green eyes swept over the landscape sharply. The third boy what closer to being described as a man, with long white hair with turquoise streaks in it that was pulled into a ponytail, standing tall with broad shoulders and a tough face. At his side was a mace, long and black with silver spikes at the end, glinting in the dying light.

"Whoa, there's a ton of them!" Steph said, her jaw hanging open. "Ya didn't tell me she had friends!"

"I didn't know," Remy whispered as the two tried to discretely slink behind the bushes nearby as the group came up to Hype, who immediately stood up and lowered the Bo staff.

"Where have you been?" the white and turquoise haired man demanded, then noticed the Bo staff. "Where did you get that?"

"The guy you sent me after was already finished off by some other mutant when I got there," Hype said. "So I hit him and took his stuff, I might've killed him, I don't know."

"You tried to kill someone else?" the green and brown haired boy said. "Without asking Ken first?" he nodded at the guy who had spoken first and Hype made a face at him.

"Not helping, Ink!" she growled. Ken crossed his arms.

"Well?" he demanded. Hype shrugged.

"He attacked first, and I had to borrow some power to stop him, he was gonna kill me."

"I was not!" Remy said, outraged before Steph clasped a hand over his mouth again.

"Shut-" she started too late, the whole group turned and looked directly at them. Hype straightened when she saw Remy.

"Hey, that's him!" she said, looking delighted. "So I didn't kill him! I must be getting better at this!"

"You hit him and he's up the next day?" the savage looking girl said, snorting. "You're such a joke Hype."

"You can do better?" Hype challenged.

"Hell yeah!" the teen replied, looking sideways at Ken, who sighed.

"Let Mattel take care of it," he said, and the big guy straightened up. Immediately Steph and Remy jumped to their feet.

"Aw, common, please?" the girl pleaded, but Ken shook his head.

"Go on Mattel," was all he said, and immediately the large boy charged forward.

"Oh great!" Steph said, as Remy whipped out a card and charged it, throwing it swiftly at the boy, who was surprisingly fast and dodged, the card hitting a lamp post and blowing it into smithereens. Steph tried to pull Remy out of the side but it was too late, and the boy's huge fist caught Remy in the chest as the teen tried to dodge, sending him flying backwards through the window he and Steph had been looking through earlier.

With a huge crash Remy hit back first, breaking the glass into a million pieces and demolishing the table and chairs he plowed through.

"Ugh!" Remy groaned as a few of the people inside screamed and stood, looking horrified. A few ran to the door, but stopped when they saw the mutants outside.

"Remy?!" Hank said, jumping up and rushing over. "What-"

"Ya hit him ya big ass!" Steph screamed outside, in a complete rage. Hank slowly helped Remy into a sitting up position when he heard the yell.

"Stephanie is here also?" he said. "What's going on?"

"Go- help, ugh, de big guy'll kill 'er!" Remy said grabbing another chair and pulling himself up. Hank's face paled and he whirled around, looking out the window and seeing Steph zipping around in the air, dodging the enormous boy's fists and screaming at him.

Immediately Hank jumped out of the window as Remy followed through the front door, unable to get through the window and having to shove people out of his way before they saw his eyes and ran away from him as well.

"Stop!" Hank bellowed. The now-laughing teens across the street and Steph and the teen trying to kill her froze and turned.

"Stop?" Ken repeated, his eyes narrowing as he pulled out his mace, testing its weight menacingly. "And we should listen to a human why?"

"Stephanie, get down here," Hank growled.

"Uh, Hank- I wouldn't-" Steph said as Mattel turned angrily and charged at Hank, who was caught almost completely off guard and only had time to throw up his hands and block Mattel's fists, but was plowed backwards. Remy threw another card, which exploded on Mattel's back and sent him flying backwards off of Hank as Steph, totally furious zipped after him, hitting the teen and knocking him over as he tried to get up.

"You damn freaks!" she screamed, just as the wild brown haired girl flew through the air and knocked her over, landing on her feet in a cat-like manner and whirling, glaring at Steph as she hit the ground and rolled. Hank, who had been forgotten for the moment was lying right behind the attacker and grabbed her ankle as he sprung up, swinging her around and releasing her, sending the teen flying into a lawn a couple houses down while Remy ran as fast as he could over to Steph, who had remained on the ground.

"Steph!" he said, bending down and rolling her over to face the sky. Steph groaned.

"That absolute bi-" she started, then froze as she looked beyond Remy's head at Mattel, who managed to get to his feet again. But as the teen tried to slam down on the much smaller mutants on the ground Hank appeared, catching him and gritting his teeth as Mattel yelled out angrily and locked hands with Hank, each attempting to push the each other over as Remy and Steph scrambled out from beneath them.

Although Hank was slightly smaller than Mattel for a moment it looked like he would win in the challenge he had met, but suddenly Mattel swung out a leg, knocking Hank flat on his back when the blue haired girl threw out her hands and twin aqua jets of light shot out of them, hitting Steph and Hank, who had tried to get up, in the chest. Both toppled over immediately.

"No!" Remy said, as a third shot hit him and exploded on his breast.

"Wake up, Rem, come on!" Steph's voice was distant, and to Remy it didn't matter that much, he felt calm right now, peaceful It lasted for awhile but suddenly a very painful sensation leapt up in the middle of his chest and spread all over, which snapped him out of the peaceful realm.

"Ah!" he cried, bolting upright and then wincing as his bruised sides started to ache. Then he saw Steph, who looked very pale and worried as he got up, but smiled softly, a glimmer of her mischievous nature in her eyes.

"Knew I could snap ya out of it," she joked, then got serious. "Where does it hurt?"

"Ach," Remy groaned. "What happen' petite? Where's Doc, he'd get me up wit'out killin me!" Steph looked down and shuddered.

"Chere?" Remy said, sensing something was very wrong and putting his hand on her shoulder. "What happened?"

"The mutant gang that attacked you took Dr. McCoy," said a familiar voice. Remy's head jerked as he turned and saw Danial looking very somber and kneeling next to him.

"Where did you come from?" Remy demanded.

"I followed you guys after you left the mansion," Danial said. "I wanted to see where you were going, and by the time I got here I saw those people carrying Hank away. Did you know they were mutants before you tried to fight them?"

"Yes," Remy growled. "An' why didn't you try'n stop'em?" Danial looked down, ashamed.

"Because I wouldn't be able to do anything to them, and because you two were in trouble as well, I thought you were dead." Remy suddenly got a guilty knot in his stomach and he looked down.

"'Pologies," he muttered. "So which way did dey take de Doc?" Danial pointed in one direction, down the road the gang had come from.

"That way," he said. "But we need to go call our parents, they can go find Hank and rescue him." Remy looked back at Steph, who's head had dropped and hair hid her face, though she was still shuddering. Then Remy looked back at the road and twisted around to see the window he had been thrown through.

"Chere?" he said, turning back to Steph and putting his hand on her shoulder. Steph jerked away.

"It's out fault!" she said, looking up, a tear sliding down her cheek. "They came and we could've jus' run, but we got Hank involved and now he's who-knows-where and possibly dead and it's all because we decided to tag along for a date we weren't supposed to even know about!" Remy looked away, ashamed. He knew she was right, but Danial seemed to not notice, standing up and offering his hand to Remy.

"We need to go tell the X Men," he repeated. "We're just kids, we can't take on those guys by ourselves." Remy growled and got to his feet, then turning and pulling Steph up.

"Maybe you can't," he snarled. "But a LeBeau ne'er leave 'is friend wit de enemy, an' neither does a Wagner, an' I'm both. We'll start now, dere's no time t' loose." Danial jerked and Steph stared at him.

"You're going after them?" Danial said. "You can't take those guys on! They completely demolished you!" Remy gave him an unfriendly look.

"Den you stay here," he said. "I'm gettin' Doc back."

"And I'm coming with ya!" Steph said, following Remy as he marched back to the garage and took out his bike. Danial followed behind.

"You're not going without me," he said.

"Sorry, dere's only room fer two," Remy said, getting on and Steph behind him. But to his and Steph's shock Danial went over to a red motorcycle and got on it, pulling out a helmet.

"You're not the only guys who know how to ride a motorcycle," he said. Remy and Steph exchanged looks and then sighed, and Danial gave them disapproving looks. "If you don't let me come, I'll tell your fathers and they'll get you back before you can do anything," he threatened.

"He could," Steph sighed.

"It'll be dangerous," Remy warned. Danial snorted.

"It's not stopping you," Danial replied. Remy sighed and brought his bike to life as Danial pulled on his helmet and did the same, and Steph wrapped her arms around Remy's middle as he gunned it and shot off, followed by Danial.


	6. The Parents

Logan stormed down to Cerebro's doors at three in the morning, where the professor, Remy Sr., Milana, Kurt, Ororo, Jean, and Scott were talking.

"Where'd they go?" he growled. The other adults looked up at him, all tired and worried.

"We don't know," Xavier replied, "And Hank and Danial seem to be missing as well."

"Maybe they're together," Ororo suggested. "If they are, Hank will be watching them."

"Somethin' must've happened," Logan said stubbornly. "Hank would've brought'em back by now or come back and went lookin' for'em, have any of them called?"

"No," Scott said, his face pale. "Danial certainly would have called by now."

"Maybe they were in an accident," Jean said, her throat tight. Scott put an arm around her and held her close.

"No, they're smart, they'd avoid an accident or tell us by now, I'm sure they're fine."

"Then where are they?" Milana cried, stamping her foot. "Remy promised he'd be back by eleven, and he's never broken his word without a good reason!"

"Have you looked for them vith Cerebro yet?" Kurt asked. Xavier nodded.

"Yes, but I can't locate them in the areas they said they'd be anywhere's near," he said. Milana's hand tightened around her husbands as she audibly choked.

"I am going to continue to-" Xavier stopped talking as an extremely sleepy Kitty dropped out of the ceiling and into Logan's arms, yawning and nodding as she nodded at him.

"Thanks Scott," she said, bleary eyes and clearly still mostly asleep.

"What is it?" Logan demanded.

"Oh wait, that's Wolvie, sorry," Kitty said, shaking her head. "Phone, for Scott and Jean. Sounded like Danial-" Kitty stopped as Scott and Jean tore off to the medbay, which also had a phone, and the rest of the adults besides Xavier followed. "Whoa, they were waiting for that?" Xavier nodded.

"Thank you Kitty, you should go back to bed now," he said.

"Huh, tell that to Danny," Kitty replied, yawning and turning, shaking her head again as she went.

In the medlab Jean snatched the phone.

"Danial?" she said in a shrilly voice. "Where are you? Why aren't you home? Did something happen?"

"No mom, I'm fine, and so are Remy Jr. and Steph," Danial's voice replied, quiet and wary sounding.

"Danial? What's going on?" Scott said, taking the phone. "Where are you kids?"

"They're all together?" Ororo said. Jean nodded, hands clutched over her chest. Scott listened for a reply when he heard the sounds of a scuffle and then "Hey!" coming from his son as he heard Remy's voice replace Danial's.

"Scott?" Remy said.

"Remy?" Scott replied, but stopped as Remy Sr. snatched the phone.

"Remy! Get back 'ere now," he said. "Your mama n' I were scared t' death, an' you're partying around?"

"I ain't partying pa," Remy said, cross.

"Where is he?" Milana said, tears forming in her eyes. "Is he ok?"

"I'm fine," Remy Jr. said, hearing the frantic question.

"Where are you?" his father said.

"Can't say, you'd come after me, n'... de girl, de one who robbed me, showed up n' attacked, wit a bunch of 'er friends. Dey took Hank pa, n' it's my fault, I need t' go after dem," Remy said, leaning on the phone booth side and lowering his head as he said the words. Danial, still red faced because of the fight for the phone, was breathing hard, and Steph looked up and mouthed "I want my turn".

"Remy- you can't go chasing after a bunch of mutants," Milana said, taking the phone from her husband. "Come home and we'll plan it together, we can find them and get Hank back faster than if-"

"Ma," Remy interrupted, looking at the path of destruction they had been following for hours. "De people are gonna fix dere mailboxes before we ken come back n' follow dem. We're fine- n' Hank could already be- hey!" Remy protested as Steph snatched the phone.

"Mrs. LeBeau?" she said.

"Steph?" Milana replied.

"Yeah, listen, we need to do this, we're already half way there probably, and we're not going to turn around now, I'm sorry. And if anything happens, we'll call, now can you put my dear daddy on?" Steph said. Then Ororo and Logan's voices came up, as Ororo had hurried off to get a mobile phone from upstairs.

"Steph?" they both said.

"Git back here now," Logan growled.

"Sorry daddy," Steph replied.

"Steph, you running off and getting killed won't solve anything," Ororo said.

"I know, that's why that's not what our plans are," Steph said, sighing.

"Steph," Logan said in a warning voice.

"No."

"Steph!"

"No! I'm not coming home with Furry Man, and neither are Remy or Danial!" Steph said, pouting and stamping her foot. Danial and Remy exchanged glances and hid smiles, not knowing Remy's mother had done a similar action just a few minutes earlier.

"I'm not jokin'," Logan said.

"Like father like daughter then, huh?" Steph said. Logan lowered his head in resignation and let out a long breath, his eyes closing as he cursed his next words.

"Be careful, don't let Dan or Remy die, and don't you die either," he said.

"What?!" the other adults said, Ororo dropping the phone in surprise.

"Logan, these are our-" Scott started.

"Kids," Logan snapped. "An' I love Steph as much as the rest of ya love Remy n' Danial, but they ain't helpless an' they know what they need t' do."

"Logan, please, tell them to come back-" Milana pleaded. Logan looked at her, then raised the phone.

"What are you telling them?" Scott asked suspiciously. Logan lowered the phone again.

"They ain't pups anymore, sometimes I think they're better fighters than us, an' they ain't alone," he said. "They're gettin' ta be adults now, an' this is their own decision, you can't fix their mistakes and go on their missions forever, time for them to grow up."

"This is not a walk through the forest!" Scott yelled. "This is not a test, this is three teenagers going on a mission they're not prepared for to face a group that has obviously beaten them before! They grow up another time, another mission where they'll have us to back them up, and when it's not a life or death situation!"

"That mission'll never come!" Logan yelled back. "They can't keep waitin' for a walk through the park mission to come up, cause' we don't do those! Every mission is life or death, an' it won't do any good letting them grow up babies, an' then tellin' them it's time t' be an adult. This is their time, I'm gonna tell them t' make their own decision, an' even if I don't agree I'll help'em if I can and be ready t' jump in a car or run ta get to where they need me!" Scott glared at Logan, who glared back and raised the phone. "Steph?"

"...yeah?"

"Watch yer back, n' call me if you need anything at all," Logan said. Steph pulled away from Remy and Danial, who had crowded in to listen to the argument. Steph smiled.

"Thanks pop, I won't let anything happen to any of them," she said.

"Goodbye Steph," Ororo said, having picked the phone up again.

"Bye, love ya both," Steph said.

"Only when you're gettin' your way," Logan laughed, and then sighed. "Give the phone t' Rem, let him say g'bye." Then he handed the phone to the LeBeau's as Steph handed hers to Remy.

"Remy? Please don't be ashamed to come back at any time," Milana said as Kurt took the other phone from Ororo.

"An' don' let anyone get de better o' you," Remy Sr. added.

"I won't," Remy replied. "Gramps?"

"Yes?" Kurt said.

"What d' ya t'ink?"

"I think, be careful," Kurt said.

"Be more than careful," Milana added. Remy chuckled.

"Ok," he said. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye," his father replied. "N' 'ave some fun too."

"Don't tell him that!" Milana said.

"G'bye, n' gramps?"

"Ja?"

"Keep working on de han' stand."

"Thank you, goodbye," Kurt said, chuckling as he gave the phone to Scott, as his wife had snatched the one Milana held out to her.

"Danial?" Jean said.

"Hi mom."

"Be careful, please, and call whenever you can," she said. "Even if it seems ridiculous, I'll age a hundred years until I hear from you again, I love you so much."

"I know, I will, I promise," Danial said, rolling his eyes, thinking it was ridiculous at what she was implying. Like he wouldn't call whenever he could!

"Dan?" Scott said.

"Father? Do you want me to come home? I will... but only if you really want me to."

"Yes, I do want you to come home, but unless it's what you feel is right- don't. But don't let LeBeau and Steph talk you into anything either, you hear me?"

"Yes Father."

"Goodbye."

"Bye." And on that last note, Danial hung up. Slowly Jean and Scott hung up as well, then turned to the other X Men.

"They're gone..." Jean said.

"Only fer a short time," Logan said, nodding his head. "But they'll be back. Jus' 'cause the bird ken fly don't mean it can leave the nest."


	7. The Base

"Whoa, Logan sure seemed to think we could do this," Danial said as the three teens mounted their bikes again.

"Accourse," Steph said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Why'd ya go call'em?" Remy demanded angrily. "We told ya not t'!"

"They were worried about us- Professor Xavier's almost found us a couple of times with Cerebro, I had to block him and I could _feel_ how anxious he was. I thought maybe they'd feel better if I called, and I was right!" Danial said defensively. Remy just growled and then sped off on his bike, speeding up until even Steph was nervous with how fast he was going.

"Wait!" she yelled over the wind. "Mailboxes went that- _AHH!"_ Steph screamed as Remy swerved in the road, making a long skid mark as he did a 180 turn and immediately caught up to Danial, who had seen the turn off before hand.

-We shouldn't race, there are other people here, cars on the road.- Danial said in Remy's head.

-He's right, we'll end up- - Steph started.

"Den fly," Remy snarled to her, swerving suddenly to avoid a car.

"OH MAN!" Steph yelled. Suddenly Remy felt her let go as she launched herself from the bike, shooting up into the air and following them through the sky. Remy looked around and turned sharply as the path of ruined property took off down another street.

-Remy, slow down!- Danial said angrily.

-We need t' get t' Doc before he's killed, I ain't slowin' down.- Remy replied, now riding at a purely suicidal speed, Danial stubbornly following and Steph flying above him.

Suddenly there were no more damaged signs, boxes, or fences. Remy slowed considerably and turned around, going back to the last piece of evidence.

"Whoa, what happened to this place?" Danial asked, getting off his bike and looking around. Remy had to agree as Steph fell from the sky and landed silently on all fours, standing slowly.

The house was a mess. Besides the chipping paint and broken windows the yard was overgrown and torn up, the brick path smash in some areas a foot into the earth.

"Dis is so cliché," Remy muttered, rolling his eyes.

"It does remind me of a billion other houses, only they're supposed to be haunted," Danial said. "You think they're in there?"

"I bet," Remy said as he left his motorcycle in the front yard and walked up to the porch, which had a few holes in it, then looking through the dirty window. "Empty," he said, trying the door, which after a good tug swung open.

"There aren't any alarms, but there is something in the back," Danial said, closing his eyes. Remy looked at him.

"How'd ya know dat?" he asked. Danial shrugged.

"Telepathic scan," he said. "Showed up a while ago, not too difficult but not completely accurate either."

"Great," Remy said, stepping in and hearing no alarm he entered the house fully.

"I'm checking out the back," Steph said, pushing past Remy roughly, making him fully aware that she was not too happy with him. Probably because he had told her to fly instead of risking her neck with him.

"C'mon," he said to Danial, following his best friend into the back, past dusty furniture and broken lamps that clearly could never be repaired again. "What do ya see chere?"

"A door," Steph said simply, pointing at a door that looked out of place, as it was clean and unbroken, and white.

"Any alarms?" Remy asked Danial, who shook his head.

"Can't tell," he said. Remy sighed and Steph moved out of his way.

"I'm assuming you're not just going to barge through that?" she said.

"Is dere anyt'in else t' do?" Remy countered, and Steph smiled.

"'Course not, please, hurry up and we can grab Blue and get outta here. I bet they're some lousy basement gang. We'll probably find Hank unconscious in a corner because they couldn't find any chains," she laughed hoarsely. Remy shrugged and reared back, slamming his foot into the door and causing it... to do absolutely nothing.

"Ah!" Remy cried as his foot bounced back and he fell over, scrambling off the filthy floor.

"Or maybe they're a lousy gang with a very nice, very tough door," Steph observed, then looked at a silver panel next to the door that had a panel of buttons on it.

"Oh," Remy said. "Dis is your t'ing chere."

"Boys," Steph said, rolling her eyes as she examined the panel closely, getting up close to the panel, so close her eyelashes nearly touch the buttons.

"Uh, what is she doing?" Danial asked.

"Figurin' out de code," Remy replied.

"How, by having a staring contest with the buttons?" Danial kidded, earning and disapproving look from his older companion.

"Hah, staring contest my ass, lookit," Steph said, straightening and punching in a few of the buttons. There was a buzz, and suddenly the door swung open and Steph beamed, folding her arms on her chest and nodding in approval.

"How'd you manage that?!" Danial cried.

"Shh, it was easy," Steph said, "You look for the fingerprints in the dust to tell you which buttons are used, then the dustier ones have been hit first, it's the only problem with having button codes in dusty locations."

"Oh," Danial said. "Could you teach me that sometime?"

"Doubt it, you use glasses don't you?" Steph said. Danial nodded. "Then no, you need excellent eyesight for that, but I have a couple other tricks you can use," Steph said. Remy sighed and walked through.

"C'mon," he said. "We gotta hurry 'fore dey find out we got in."

"That is cool though," Danial said as they entered. Steph made a shushing motion with her hand and followed Remy down the hall they had just gotten into. It was the exact opposite from the rest of the house, gleaming silver walls and not a speck of dust anywhere. The hall lead down for about ten feet to a staircase that spiraled down, and everything was lit with bright, florescent lights inside the ceiling.

Remy motioned for the others to follow him as he crept down the hall, Bo staff ready, tense and on full alert for any unseen danger.

"Dan," he whispered. "Search 'round fer any traps or alarms now."

-Don't you think we should be _really_ quiet right now?- Danial replied. Remy nodded and hid a smile. -I can't find anything, but as I said previously, my powers are not always 100 percent accurate, I haven't had enough time to develop them.-

-Dey aren't old news?- Remy asked, somewhat surprised.

-Nah, why do you think I haven't been on many missions myself? Besides Mom being really overprotective that is,- Danial grinned.

I didn't t'ink you were into dat kinda stuff, Remy admitted, walking past two doors and ignoring them, then down the stairs and finding himself in a huge room. Huge being big enough to put a couple churches inside the interior of the silver cavern. Remy whistled and stopped, looking around. The walls were all silver, no distinguishing marks on any of them, no way out.

"I don't like this," Steph murmured from Remy's side.

"Nah, I don' either," he said. "Dere's nut'ing in room dis big? Somet'ing is wrong."

"Why would you..." Danial broke off as a room suddenly opened up in the wall to their left and eight uniformed men jumped out with guns, grabbing the teens before they could do anything all three had two guards grabbing their arms and clamping steel collars around their necks. As his was placed on Remy suddenly felt a draining motion and he bellowed, trying to reach for a card.

"Keep a hold on them!" One of the men shouted as Remy heard Steph and Danial also crying out, then Danial's wail above the others.

"My telekinesis, it isn't working! Help! My powers aren't working!" he screamed, trying and failing to break free of his guards. Remy gulped and then managed to see a flash of orange- Steph's hair.

"Steph, scream!" he shouted.

"What?! Are you-" Steph cried out as a guard hit her in the stomach and she doubled over, supported and imprisoned by the men holding her.

"Steph!" Remy yelled, outraged.

"Ok, I am so screaming now," Steph growled, looking up furiously.

"What does she mean?" One of the men asked his partner.

"Hold onto your eardrums!" Steph yelled, mustering up the mutated voice inside of her and then letting out a piercing scream. Remy waited to be knocked unconscious or even killed by the deadly voice, but it never happened, and as Steph realized her powers were also dysfunctional she stopped yelling abruptly.

"Whoa, she's got a pair of lungs on her," one of the men said in the afterward silence.

"Maybe this'll get them to shut up," another growled as Danial, Steph, and Remy immediately started to struggle again. Suddenly the wall they were facing, about a basketball court away, opened to reveal a white cell, and all three Junior X Men froze when they saw what was inside.

"Hank!" Steph cried when she saw the slumped form of Dr. McCoy inside a white cell, his hands chained behind him and head bowed. His clothes were ragged and torn, and his chest was barely moving. Immediately the three teenagers started to struggle against their captors again, yelling and trying to rip the collars from around their necks or at least get free.

"ROOOOOOOOWRRRRRRRRR!" Everyone stopped as they heard the booming roar from down the hall, and all of a sudden a huge white tiger was in their midst, swiping at the guards with mammoth-size paws that did just as much damage as a club without a two inch long razor sharp claws that came equipped with them. Fangs this size of knives, ripping and tearing through air, clothing, and flesh accompanied the sheer size of the animal, which was enough to make Remy want to rush back into the arms of his mother and cry like a little child.

"AHH!" Danial screamed as the beast pounced at him, but it didn't touch him, ripping into the guards and rendering both dead within seconds, moving as quick as lightning with muscles of liquid steel, leaving Danial on the floor as it towered over him, growling and glaring at him through its huge yellow eyes.


	8. The Tiger

"ROWRRRRRRRRRRR!!!" the tiger roared again, turning and standing in front of Danial, who backed up on hands and knees, staring at it in horror.

"It's Ellen," one of the guards holding Remy spat, reaching for his gun. The tiger saw this, its large yellow eyes glinting as it snarled. The guard released Remy and his partner did the same, and immediately Gambler jumped away, though he also avoided the tiger as well. The guards holding Steph were paralyzed as they watched as the tiger leap on their co-guards, who drew their guns and attempted to shoot the beast before it killed them, its front paws and mouth stained with blood.

"Wait," one of the remaining two guards said, throwing Steph away towards the large cat and backing up, hands in the air. "Wait, please don't-" he turned and screamed as the tiger bowled over his partner, leaping on his back and pushing him down face first into the floor. A sickening crunch told Remy that the man was dead of a broken neck.

"Remy," Steph breathed, tripping backwards into his arms and staring at the tiger, her eyes wide. Remy looked at the other end of the room, where Danial was looking ready to wet himself, then at his Bo staff, which lay about twenty feet back. If he could get to it before the tiger decided to pick off the next victim, maybe he could fend it off... with a stick? That was stupid, they were at this cat's mercy right now, and its eyes were unforgiving.

"Stay close t' me petite," Remy whispered, starting to edge backwards. To his surprise the cat's ear twitched and it sat down, still gazing at him and then at the weapon he so badly wanted to reach. But then something even more amazing happened, the tiger started to change. Its massive paws slowly became long, pale limbs and feet and fingers, and the body shrank into that of a young woman's as the head became human, a face with large purple eyes, a thin-lipped mouth, and high cheekbones and one ear pierced five times. The fur disappeared and clothes replaced it, a black skirt and white top, both with lace, and black knee-high high-heel boots, and a load of silver hoop bracelets on one arm as the newly transformed girl, looking about nineteen tops, and she looked at them as if merely interested, sitting with her hands draped over her knees.

"You wanna go pick up your stick, do it," she said, her voice light and unconcerned. Danial gasped and ran over to Steph as Remy moved backwards, still staring at the teen as he grabbed it and moved back in front of his friends.

"Who are you?" he demanded. The girl's eyes narrowed.

"I should be asking you that, you are on my territory after all," she said crossly. Then she sighed and looked down as a lock of ink black and pure white hair fell over her face. She brushed it away and stood. "My name is Ellen, Ellen McCoy."

"McCoy?!" Steph yelped, jumping backwards. Ellen nodded.

"But as far as I know, not related to him," she said, nodding at Hank's cell.

"Dr. McCoy-" Danial said, about to rush over to Hank when Ellen's cry stopped him.

"Don't!" she said, taking out a long dagger from behind her and springing up, moving forward and stopping as Danial turned to face her and Remy raised his staff, growling. "No," Ellen said, putting up her hands. "I'm not going to kill you, just want to take those collars off. If you get too close they'll trip an alarm that will have every soldier in the Labs come down on us, including the mutants, and they are not fun to deal with, trust me!"

"You ken get dese off?" Remy said suspiciously as Ellen nodded.

"Look, if I wanted to kill you I wouldn't bother letting the tiger go," she replied, moving quickly up and sticking the tip of her dagger into the side of Remy's collar, sighing as the collar fell off, clanging on the floor and stepping backwards. "See? Come over here you," she said, grabbing Steph's arm and pulling her over. Soon Ellen had all three collars lying on the floor and she stood back, looking at them and nodding in satisfaction.

"Hank," Steph said, voice catching as she ran over to her friend's cell, leaning on the thick glass and then banging on it. "There's no door-"

"Stan' back petite," Remy said, taking out a card and charging it with kinetic energy.

"No!" Ellen said, grapping his arm. Remy gasped in surprise and then threw it away from the glass, making it explode in midair and knocking them over with its force. Ellen looked up and growled as she stood again, helping Remy and Danial up. "That'll bring down the entire ceiling on us, go look inside his cell."

"Why?" Danial asked, following Remy as they peered through the glass next to Steph, almost immediately noticing the red lines that crisscrossed the floor about a foot away from the glass.

"See those alarms, you have to be closer when you break through, and you have to be careful when you do. You're a telepath, right? Can you stop the glass from hitting the lines?" Danial nodded, not turning as he looked at the lines.

"I think so, why?" A second later the giant tiger crashed through the window with a huge cracking sound. The glass spilled down the floor but throwing out his hands in surprise Danial managed to stop most of the shards, by pure luck none of the missed pieces hit the alarms. The tiger backed away, then easily cleared the six feet of lines with running leap, skidding to a halt as a human in front of Hank.

"Stay there," Ellen snapped as Remy started to go forward. Taking out her knife again Ellen reached up and inserted it into the cuff locks and with a click they opened. Hank fell heavily, caught by Ellen, who gasped. "Heavy guy, can you lot take him?" she said, looking at them.

"Accourse," Steph said, making a face. "He's our friend!"

"Alright then," Ellen said. "As soon as the alarm goes off grab him and get outta here, because the mutants will send Salla and Hype out to check up on the reason their alarms are going off, and they're a duo to be reckoned with, even for me." Remy arched an eyebrow at her last comment but nodded and Ellen grabbed Hank's limp form, grunting she managed to pick it up and she stumbled forward, throwing Hank forward into the arms of Remy and Steph while Danial helped with his telekinetic powers.

As soon as Hank's foot brushed against the red alarms a huge siren went off, dwarfing even the roar Ellen had let out earlier. Remy and Steph took off as fast as they could, Danial behind them as they struggled forward. They had made it about halfway down the entrance hall when the savage girl and Hype, as Ellen predicted, stepped out in front of them from side doors.

"Hey, lookit this," Salla said casually, leaning against a wall as Remy and Steph halted and Danial remained straining to keep Hank up. "A bunch of nerds who want their playmate back."

"Move," Remy snarled. Hype snorted.

"You think that's gonna make us leave you to get out?" She said.

-Careful, she's full of electric bull and can zap you from over there as soon as knock you out with that metal hand of hers,- Ellen's voice said in their heads. Remy didn't let the shock show on his face when he heard Danial's voice next.

-No, she isn't a telepath, I'm reading her thoughts, and they haven't seen her, she's blocked by Hank- he said.

-K, Dan, now you be quiet till dis is taken care of, got it?- Remy said.

-I know, whatever I can do, oh, and she says delay them for a minute,- Danial replied.

"What would you do if one of your team members was taken captive?" Steph asked almost immediately. Salla smiled evilly.

"We'd retreat and look for a new member," she said nastily. "Anyone who lets themselves get caught isn't worth the bother of keeping around anyway."

"You'd just leave them to face torture or death or testing?" Danial said, eyes narrowing.

"We don't know enough about this place to be a threat," Hype said, shrugging. Remy had opened his mouth to speak when suddenly Ellen flew over his head, landing on Hype and crushing her while throwing her head back, her long dagger flying through the air and sliding across the floor, stopping at Steph's feet. The black girl quickly bent over and grabbed it as Salla snarled in surprise.

"You!" she said as Hype lay still and Ellen glared at her, backing off of the crushed body. "I shoulda killed ya a long time ago ya damn cat!" Salla shrieked, flying forward and slamming into Ellen, her claws and fangs drawing blood almost immediately. In response Ellen roared and swung out her fists, half catching Salla and sending her flying off.

"Go! She says go!" Danial yelled, but Remy paused.

-Take a leaf outta their book and run,- Ellen's voice said in their heads as she and Salla flew at eachother again. -My fight, you're escape, go or they'll find out you're here and lock the place down, which would be the death of us all!-

"Go!" Remy yelled, pulling Hank forward as quickly as he could, Steph helping him. As they came closer to Salla the teen tried to jump on them, having sent Ellen flying backwards into a wall, but the tiger was up in a flash, snarling and then letting out another roar.

Then, just as they had reached the door to the under ground lab... BAM!

"Damn!" Remy yelled as a bullet narrowly missed his ear and more followed. Ellen snarled and turned, blood staining her white fur and eyes wide as she glared at Salla and the guards who had just shown up. The brief hesitation gave Steph and Remy time to shove through the door and pull Hank along with them, but Danial fell backwards as more shots rang out.

"ROOOOOOOOWR!" Ellen roared as a large hole appeared in her front left leg, blood pouring freely out of it. Salla had thrown herself to the floor as more bullets flew, hitting Ellen a few more times as the cat turned and fled, grabbing Danial's shirt in her teeth as she flew past and collapsed outside the door, which Steph slammed just as they heard Salla's enraged "NO!" from inside.

"The door!" Steph said as a huge thud hit it from the other side. Ellen struggled to her feet and raised a claw, gently tapping a button on the panel. Immediately large steel panels appeared out of the ceiling and floor and walls, encasing the door four times.

"She says outside!" Danial said, his face pale white. Steph and Remy hoisted Hank up and hurried forward, lead by Danial. Right before they reached the front door of the house it banged open and Logan appeared, red in the face and looking furious.

"Ah!" Steph cried out in surprise. Logan also grunted and without a word caught Hank as he fell, the two teens tripping.

"Hey-" Logan began.

"No time," Danial gasped. "They'll open the doors-" Logan nodded and Kurt, Scott, and Remy Sr. appeared, seeing Logan picking up Hank Scott went to help him and they carried Hank out. Steph and Danial followed, gratefully seeing the Blackbird parked right outside, Milana, Jean, and Ororo waiting and coming down and helping them up the ramp.

"Remy, hurry," Remy Sr. said as his son hesitated, looking over his shoulder.

"Wait," he said.

"Vot is it?" Kurt asked.

"Ellen, she's ain't here," Remy said, running back into the house with his father and grandfather right behind.

"Voah!" Kurt cried out in surprise as he saw the massive cat, who lay crumpled on the floor in a pool of blood. Remy bent down and picked up Ellen's massive head, her eyes closed.

"Ellen, wake up, talk t' me!" he said.

"Is dis your friend?" Remy Sr. asked.

"Yeah!" Remy mumbled. Immediately Kurt bent down and grabbed Ellen's middle, vanishing in a puff of blue smoke and taking Ellen with him. Remy backed up, startled as his father grabbed him and pulled him up as another boom sounded on the metal doors.

"Come on, Kurt took de cat t' de jet," he said. Remy nodded and got up, running after his father just as the steel plates started to creep open. Running up the ramp of the jet as it closed Remy found Kurt bent over Ellen in the middle of the isle, Jean checking on Hank as Ororo piloted, giving Milana, Logan, and Scott the time to check on their children.

"Remy!" Milana cried, jumping over a seat and grabbing Remy into a tight embrace. "The professor found you with Cerebro, said you just leapt out at him, brighter than the other lights or something, I was so worried you were going to be killed!" Remy hugged his mother back.

"Nah, jus' got into a bit a trouble," he said. "Ellen helped us out... is she-?"

"Still breathing, though also bleeding," Kurt said, nodding at him.

"Hank's unconscious, but I can't see too many serious injuries," Jean said. Then the adults all stopped and looked at Ellen.

"She's a tiger," Logan observed.

"Of sorts," Steph said, her voice muffled as Logan was still holding her protectively to his chest. All that was visible was her bright orange hair until Logan let go and looked at her.

"What do ya mean, o' sorts?" he demanded.

"She's a human, a mutant," Danial replied. "She has the ability to turn into that tiger."

"She saved you?" Logan said, looking at his daughter, who nodded. "Well, that's all I need ta know, jus don't let 'er die Jean." Jean walked over to her and took off her coat, putting it over a few of the numerous bullet wounds.

"I'll do my best," Jean said, hugging her son as he also bent down over the cat. "Oh Dan, I was really worried."


	9. The Girl

"How is she?" Remy demanded the next morning, marching into the medbay and finding the similar sight of Ellen, still tiger, on her belly on top of one of one of the med tables. Then the purple haired teen noticed Hank, on another table, was sitting up and rubbing his head, looking at him through blurry eyes.

"Young Remy?" the blue furred man said in a low voice.

"Doc!" Remy cried, rushing over. "You ok?"

"Dizzy, with a rather large headache, but all in all, in pretty good condition," Hank said, shaking his head and then wincing. "Luckily for me it appears my captors merely rendered me unconscious, which was easy owing to the large amount of physical strength I used before the girl stepped in..." Remy looked down, embarrassed.

"I was my fault," he said. "De girl who robbed me followed me n' Steph n' I got into de fight wit dem."

"Well it may have been irresponsible for you to do that," Hank said, smiling at him. "But as I understand it, it was you, Stephanie, and young Danial who rescued me from my captor's lair, I thank you for it, as it was both timely and quick. Now I must ask for forgiveness of my unknowing curiosity, but why does there appear to be a large feline on the other table?" Remy smiled.

"Dat's Ellen, she helped us get ya out... do ya know if she's ok?" Remy hesitated as he looked at Ellen, lying still, her broad back rising and falling incredibly slowly and not rising much at all.

"Ah, I am not able to give out information I do not have young Remy, but I'm sure Jean has taken good care of her," Hank said.

"I've certainly tried, but that cat has taken a lot of bullets, I'm still not sure I got them all," Jean said, walking into the room.

"No, you missed one," the tiger gasped in a tiny voice. Remy jumped and Jean's head snapped around as Hank stared.

"She speaks?" he said.

"You speak?!" Remy cried.

"A talking tiger..." Jean mumbled. A small rumble came from Ellen's throat as her head retracted a little, eyes still closed.

"Didn't... didn't have the chance... to talk before... not like... like we've known eachother for a while..." Ellen said. Jean hurried forward.

"What bullet did I miss?" she asked gently.

"Foot... back left... my left," Ellen gasped.

"Shh," Jean said. "Don't speak." The tiger didn't respond as Jean found another hole with a fragment of bullet in it in Ellen's foot and carefully extracted it with her telekinetic powers, making the tiger snarl with pain. Then as Jean and the boys watched Ellen slowly transformed back into her human self, keeping the wounds she had earlier but shrinking considerably.

"Ow," she wheezed.

"Careful," Jean said, taking out some bandages from a drawer underneath the table and started to bind the cuts. "I couldn't do this with all that fur," she said, a smile playing at her lips. Ellen cracked one eye open and looked at Jean.

"Ok... just don't... don't kill me, I can't really do much to stop you right now," she said.

"No one's going to kill you," Jean said, smiling for real. "Why on Earth would you think that?"

"Well," Ellen said. "I don't even know your names, for one thing. Hell... only one I know is Big Blue Furry Guy over there... because we share a name, and to be honest, you're a strange lot... I don't quite know what to... what to make of you."

"You don't even know Remy?" Jean said in surprise.

"What?" Remy said. Ellen closed her eyes again.

"Name's don't... they don't tell you anything... I only gave mine because you asked," Ellen said, then sighed and seemed to shrink even more.

"We share a name?" Hank asked in surprise.

"McCoy, her name is Ellen McCoy. Well, I'm Jean Summers, and you met my son, Danial, the red head?"

"Funny kid," Ellen nodded and Jean continued.

"And the young man with purple hair is Remy LeBeau Jr., and the young lady is Stephanie Munroe Logan," Jean said. "That's who you've met, I think."

"Steph, just Steph," Steph said, walking in and grinning, leaning on the med table and looking at Ellen. "You're as strange as my old man, helping us out like that when you didn't even know our names. And remember, the only one who can get away with calling me Stephanie is Hank, jus' because he's too lazy to learn my real name."

"Steph, I think Ellen needs some rest right now, Hank, are you alright?" Jean asked, looking up. Hank stretched and then winced.

"Bruised slightly, yet prevailing in my battle against stiffness," he replied. "And hungry. Come Remy and Stephanie, let's go and get some food, and leave Ellen to rest in peace."

"Right," Steph said, rolling her eyes. "Jus' making sure Ellen's not-"

"Steph," Jean said sharply as Ellen groaned.

"What?" Steph asked, looking surprised. Ellen slowly opened her eyes.

"You were about to... about to say I wasn't dead... and she cut you off," Ellen said.

"So?" Steph asked before Jean could stop her.

"It means I'm doomed," Ellen said gravely, looking directly into Steph's eyes.

"Oh, whoops," Steph said as Jean gave her a withering look.

"Out," the doctor said. "All of you, you too Hank, these kids gravitate to you. And it's not true, with a little time and patience you'll be fine-"

"Don't give me that... please." Jean sighed as Ellen shut her mouth again and closed her eyes, shoulders sagging back.

"Alright, well, it may take a little more than time, and you did need more blood, but you're conscious and that's a very good thing," Jean said truthfully. "Now you three, out! And Ellen, try and get some rest."

"As long as it isn't eternal... I'm good," Ellen said as Hank, Steph, and Remy left.

"That's not funny," Jean said. "And stop talking, it can't be good for you."

"Last word... I wasn't cracking a joke." Jean, who had been going too leave, stopped and looked briefly at Ellen, who appeared to have dropped off into exhausted sleep, and then shook her head and left the medbay, finding her husband waiting outside for her. Scott smiled as he wrapped his arms around her.

"How's the tiger doing?" he asked. Jean sighed.

"The tiger is a brutally honest girl who also is optimistically challenged, and living on a miracle," she replied. Scott kissed her on the forehead as they walked down the hall.

"Well, that's how some people are," he said. "But somehow I get the feeling she'll pull through, maybe just a feeling though."

"Well, feelings are pretty accurate sometimes," Jean said, shrugging and smiling. "I think she'll pull through too."


	10. The Recovery

"Ellen?" Remy said, walking in and seeing the large tiger sitting up, head held halfway up as if it were tired, and eyes half closed. The bandages were laying, blood stained and strewn on the floor. "What are ya doin' chere? Ya need t' rest."

"Got tired," Ellen said drowsily. "Of resting; too much sleep." Remy arched an eyebrow and then jumped up onto the table next to her, grinning.

"Tired o' too much sleep?" he repeated. Ellen growled.

"It can happen, when doctors use tranquilizers," she said. Remy's purple eyebrows furrowed.

"Jean's been slippen' ya drugs?" he repeated. Ellen lowered her head onto her front paws.

"To keep me down..." she said, her lips curling into a smile at the edges, a strange sight for such a large tiger, "I was bugging her too much... wouldn't lie down still long enough for her to change the bandages, ha ha."

"Where is de doctor now?" Remy asked, looking around. One of Ellen's eyes opened fully and focused on him, then her shoulders shrugged.

"Away? Out of the room?" she guessed, then sighed as her eyes closed. Remy patter her head.

"Well, how is de healin' goin'?" Remy asked, looking at the scabbing wounds that covered her body.

"Going?" Ellen repeated, eye opening again. "Don't ask... I think tigers are slower at healing than humans."

"It's not going to well den?" Remy said.

"It hurts. A lot." Ellen said, just as Jean walked in.

"Remy Kurt LeBeau, what are you doing in here?" the doctor demanded. Ellen sighed.

"Jus' talkin," Remy said. "You haven' let me see 'er in days!"

"She needs her rest!" Jean said.

"I'm tired of sleeping," Ellen said.

"She's right, you know," Hank said, walking in behind Jean. Jean turned to smile at Hank when he spoke again. "She might do better with a little exercise, she had been sleeping a lot lately."

"But her wounds haven't even scabbed over completely, and she's destroyed the bandages once again," Jean pointed out. Unnoticed by anyone Ellen had become human again, and she opened her mouth to speak while the doctors continued to discuss whether or not she would be allowed to get up when Remy shushed her quietly.

"Let de doctors t'ink 'bout it, den talk," he whispered, helping Ellen sit up next to him. The black and white haired girl smiled at him and then looked back at Jean and Hank, who seemed to have finally reached a decision.

"Stay until the wounds heal a little more, then you can get up, alright?" Jean said. Ellen rolled her eyes and leaned back slightly.

"I can get up," Ellen said scornfully.

"Well you won't," Hank replied. "Not if you want to stay safe, the injuries you sustained are not to be take lightly at all-"

"Have you done any blood transfusions or anything?" Ellen interrupted.

"No, why?" Jean asked.

"Because I'm feeling kind of dizzy," Ellen said, blinking. Jean walked over and put a hand on her head.

"I was right, you need more rest," the doctor said decided, moving away.

"Huh, big surprise," Ellen mumbled. "Should've kept my- (yawn) - mouth shut... I'm sooo tired."

"Now you're overplaying the part," Jean said, hands on hips as Remy got off the table and smiled while Ellen lay down and pulled out a typical white more-sheet-than-blanket cover up to her chest and lay down. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing," Ellen said, her purple eyes getting big and round. Jean looked over at Hank and sighed.

"Are you sure you're not related?" she asked. "Because I get that same look for you a lot."

"I don't honestly know," Hank shrugged. "I was waiting for Ellen to wake before I asked-"

"She's awake now," Remy pointed out.

"She's right here," Ellen pointed out, sitting up. "What? You want blood? Fine, take it, I don't care."

"No!" Jean said. "She's lost enough from her wounds, no blood samples until she's recovered! And you need to go back to sleep," she added.

"Hey, I was half asleep until purple head came in and blinded me with that neon hair of his," Ellen said.

"Everyone out," Jean said, grabbing Remy and Hank's arms and pushing them towards the door.

"De fille sure seems t' 'ave recovered enough t' talk better," Remy muttered.

"Hush young Remy," Hank said as they left. As soon as they were gone Jean turned and found Ellen staring at her, the blanket on the floor. Jean sighed.

"What?" Ellen said. "Not going to give me some tranqs to make me sleep?"

"You asked for those," Jean said. "Would you like some?"

"Will it help pass the time?"

"Probably."

"Ok."

Ellen's eyes snapped open, pupils dilating as her tail swished out behind her and she rose on the table top, stretching and then wincing, waiting for the intense pain she hid to lace through her body. The pain never came. Confused Ellen turned to look for her injuries, but the movement set off the lights, which temporarily blinded her.

"Dr. Summers?" Ellen said, shaking her head and backing up a couple steps, forgetting she was on a raised surface and stepping onto air, immediately falling and hitting the floor with a huge THUMP! Rolling over Ellen sneezed, which seemed to clear her senses enough for her to look at her legs, paws, body and tail and see... nothing. White and black stripped fur, like it had been before she attempted to save three teenagers and a furry blue guy.

"Huh?" Ellen voiced as she started to shrink. Within moments she was the human Ellen, also unmarked by bullet wounds that had been there earlier. No more pain either... well, besides the small impact from hitting the floor as a couple hundred pound feline. Suddenly Ellen smiled and reached to her neck, pulling on a black cord that lay hidden underneath her shirt. The only decoration on the necklace of horse hair was a white stone, long and thin like a needle.

The stone only had one mark of any kind on it; a black stripe running length-wise on the back, matching Ellen's hair and fur.

"Thanks gramps," she whispered.


	11. The Discussion

"Ellen?!" Steph cried, running into the cafeteria with Ruhko bouncing on her shoulders and squealing in delight. Ellen was sitting at a table, head resting on one fist. She was surrounded by the adult X Men, especially Hank and Jean, and Remy and Danial, all of whom were looking quite shocked, which was not surprising.

"Hello... Steph? And a midget too," Ellen said. Steph stared at her.

"Man, las' time I saw ya, ya looked like hamburger! What happened?" Steph said.

"Precisely what we are trying to discover, Stephanie," Hank said.

"It is a miracle," Kurt said in a low voice, rubbing his Angelic Beads and beaming. "In von afternoon she sleeps and vakes fully healed, it must be a miracle."

"Or a healing mutation," Logan suggested.

"No, I'd have to say neither of those fit from the scientific perspective," Scott said, looking at his wife. "You said she didn't have a healing mutation?" Jean shook her head.

"No, she didn't," Jean said thoughtfully. "Though perhaps it has just recently manifestered."

"Maybe it's invulnerability," Rogue suggested.

"I fear not," Hank replied. "For then the bullets should have never-"

"Again, it's like I'm not even here," Ellen whispered loudly to Remy, who snorted in laughter. His father looked down and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Do ya have anyt'ing t' say?" he asked. Remy Jr. shook his head.

"No pa, jus' t'inking, maybe ya could ask Ellen, she might know," the teen shrugged and Logan chuckled.

"It may work," he said.

"Well, do you?" Jean asked Ellen, who looked at her plate of food.

"Do I what?" she asked. Jean sighed.

"Do you know how this happened?" she said. Ellen nodded.

"Yes," she replied. This shocked everybody.

"My grandfather," Ellen said, shrugging. "Also mutant, able to heal people, and I've gotten help from him, but only when I've really, really needed it. I must have died before he interfered."

"You're grandfather?" Kurt replied, looked awed. "He heals you?"

"Well, mostly he lets me screw up and get out of things myself, but I've gotten help from him before," Ellen said.

"So these are the grounds," Danial said, gesturing around, Ellen trotted past him calmly, sniffing the clear air.

"I could see that," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. "Is this place rigged with any alarms or anything?" she asked.

"Oh man, yeah," Steph said, nudging Remy. "Remember the time we were out late and they turned the alarms on before we got home?" Remy groaned.

"Ah! Dat was de wors' trip up t' de school I ever had!" he said. Ellen nodded and then sat thoughtfully. Remy looked at her. "What's wrong chere?" he asked.

"The mutants we defeated, and their masters, they are not happy that you destroyed their forces and got into their base, breaking Hank and I out," Ellen said, her eyes glinting. "They know by now you're from this school, and they'll want their revenge." That wiped the smiles off of Danial, Steph, and Remy's faces.

"What?" they said. Ellen looked around.

"I talked with the professor earlier, he said your fathers would re-check all of the school defenses, but that won't be enough. Ken's group is as powerful as the entire X Men bunch, and have never been beaten in combat," she said gravely. "They'll come, and between sooner or later I'd put my money on sooner."

"But we beat them!" Danial said in a higher voice than usual. "At their base, we beat them!"

"No," Steph said, thinking. "We did a little bit'f damage when we had the element of surprise, but all we could do was run after one hit."

"And their full team wasn't even there," Ellen said, shrinking into Ellen. "There's hardly a chance we could even find their new base, let alone take them on with the other soldiers there or not."

"New base?" Remy repeated, eyes narrowing.

"They left a trail for you to follow deliberately," Ellen said. "They thought they'd be able to eliminate you, they were not counting on me showing up and ruining their plans, but now that we've escaped they will not risk the X Men going to their base and causing even more damage, they'll have moved an hour after we escaped."

"Which means-?" Steph said.

"It means we need to build our defenses and then, before they strike, find their new base and destroy it," Ellen said, looking around. "Otherwise they'll get here and the mansion will be razed, any and all mutants spotted will be killed immediately, without mercy or possible escape. The X Men have dealt with armies in the past, so I've heard, and other groups of mutants, but none this powerful, and working together. Anyone and everyone would fall, anyone and everyone would die before the end, on both sides probably."

"STEPHY!!!" Ruhko suddenly appeared out of nowhere, jumping on her older sister's back and yelling gleefully. Steph tripped and Remy caught Ruhko as both girls toppled over, but immediately dropped the little one as she snarled at him, her claws appearing.

"Whoa, chere, get 'er!" he said. Steph growled and grabbed Ruhko's ankle as the small one tried to charge at Ellen, who was looking at her calmly.

"If only you had about twenty of her," Ellen said. "You might be able to destroy the Lab's small army without also being eliminated in the process." Steph stood up and held Ruhko close.

"She's just a baby," the black girl said. "She can't- won't ever fight these people, I won't let her and neither will my father or mom or Rogue. You know about these Labs?" Ellen's face got hard.

"I know enough to never want anything to do with them," she said.

"How do we know you're not with the Labs?" Danial suddenly asked. Ellen's head jerked and she glared at him.

"What?" Remy said. Danial shrugged.

"How do we know she isn't with them and trying to trick us?" he asked.

"I would stop there, Danial," Ellen growled. "Before you say anything else, you're walking on a thin edge there, and if you fall it won't be the Labs who get to you."

"Don't threaten him," Steph said coldly, holding Ruhko closer. Ellen glared at the three teenagers and then turned and walked away, speaking as she went.

"If I were working for the Labs I would simply kill you, they are very direct and don't believe in spies or infiltrating places, they destroy the place first and ask questions later."

"Dat was kinda over de line," Remy said, looking at Danial, who shrugged, though he seemed slightly paler.

"Just wondering," he said, shrugging.

"Beesha," Ruhko said. "Not talk Labs, bad!" Steph looked at Ruhko and smiled.

"Yeh picked that up fast," she said gruffly, half imitating Logan's rusty speech. "But yer right kid." Ruhko looked angry and snarled, jumping from Steph's arms and then falling over, her claws shooting out as she snarled.

"Kill'em! Kill'em all dead!" she said, swiping out with her claws.

"Whoa, I'm afraid," Steph whistled, then picked Ruhko up by the back of her Levi overalls. "Now you'll stop talkin' like that or I'll tell daddy, got it?"

"KILL'EM ALL!!!" Ruhko screamed as she swung around fiercely. Remy looked at Steph and grinned.

"De petite was wrong," he said. "I t'ink ya would only need ten o' Ruhko t' beat anyone r' anyt'in."

"Grr!" Ruhko said as she slowly twirled around, fists hanging down and claws catching the sunlight.

"I was thinking five," Steph said.


	12. The Inspection

After dinner Steph, Remy, and Danial met outside on the front lawn, looking around.

"Den El' told ya t' be here to?" Remy said after a moment of silence.

"Yup," Steph said.

"But why?" Danial asked, looking around.

"Because," Ellen said, appearing out of the darkness next to them. "I got Logan to turn on the security systems." Immediately all three teens jerked and then froze.

"No way!" Steph said, shaking her head. "If the alarms and stuff are on, you are not gonna catch me out here movin' around!"

"We have to," Ellen growled. "If we can make it through the securities unscathed, that means others can too, now hurry up so we can get through and back to bed."

"Why we doin' dis?" Remy asked, eyes narrowing. Ellen scowled at him.

"Because the people you decided to mess with are neither stupid nor forgetful, they'll come after the mutants who broke into their base and stole their prisoner and maybe killed one of their own mutants, the Labs do not forget and they will find any glitch in any security system that gets in their way to eliminate their problems," she said. Remy sighed and Steph grunted and stood up straight, her eyes glinting in the moonlight.

"So we'll stop them by getting ourselves killed by our own security systems?" she challenged. Ellen growled.

"You know the security systems, Logan told me you helped set some of them up. If anyone can get past them, you can. Now let's hurry up."

"Fine," Steph grumbled, backing down, arms folded stubbornly over her chest.

"So we goin' or standin' here all night?" Remy asked.

"Huh, I doubt we'll all be standing for long out here," Danial muttered.

----

"Ouch, no, ouch!" Steph said as Hank found another couple of needles in the side of her head and pulled them out distastefully.

"I am trying to be as gentle as possible young lady," he said, the disapproval of her state clear in his voice and eyes. Remy chuckled from the wall he was leaning on, his hand wrapped up from the minor burn he had gotten from a rocket that was intended to hit him in the chest. Danial was only a little scratched up from the night they had spent walking or running over the entire mansion grounds and dodging the various defenses hurled at them, led by Ellen, who slinked through the shadows and was as hard to follow as an ant in tall grass.

"I didn't t'ink dat you'd be hit by a tree," he joked. "Ya dodged every miss'le and den ran into a branch dat was pretty obvious, n' then fell into de prickle bush, heeheehee." Steph glared at him.

"At least I could dodge every rocket!" she shot back. "And you don't exactly look more for branches when you're being chased by a bunch of missiles." Danial snorted.

"It was still funny," he said. Steph got up to teach him a lesson when Hank gently pushed her back down.

"No fighting," he said. "And I admit I still miss the point of you four going out into the dark woods trying to set off the alarms."

"We didn't really get the suicide mission either, but we made it out ok," Danial shrugged. "Ellen's still out there though. She just grumbled when Steph ran into the tree and told us to go back, she said she'd finish the round by herself."

"She could get killed out there," Hank pointed out, straightening. The three teenagers exchanged looks.

"Uh..." they said. Hank sighed as the medbay door opened and Ellen strutted in, a few long, slightly bleeding scraped on one powerful shoulder as she looked around, her head turning as she looked at the wounds on her friends and then sat in teh middle of the floor, turning her attention to the paw that had some blood running down it.

"Goodness!" Hank said, "What happened?" But Ellen ignored him, closing her eyes as she raised her paw and licked it, starting to clean the blood off with her pink tongue.

"Gross!" Danial said, making a face.

"How's it taste?" Steph asked, grinning.

"It taste's like blood," Ellen said, separating her toes as her claws slid out automatically, her tongue halfway wrapping around each toe as she licked it. As Hank approached she opened her eyes and looked up briefly before closing them.

"You got hit?" he guessed. Ellen nodded.

"Spinning blade of Doom I suppose," she said, shrugging her uninjured shoulder.

"Come over here so I can treat that," Hank instructed, pointing at the table Steph was sitting on. Steph automatically moved over to make room but Ellen didn't move, shrinking into Ellen as she lowered her hand. Getting up Ellen shrugged at Hank.

"Why? Didn't you want a blood sample first?" she asked. Hank paused.

"Well, of course," he said. "But I would rather patch this up before I take any more blood from your system."

"Fine then," Ellen said, sitting next to Steph as Hank pulled out more bandages.

"So," Remy asked. "Do de defenses work? Or will we need t' go try n' kill ourselves again?"

"Nope, seems well guarded enough to me," Ellen said. "We barley got out of there unharmed and we knew exactly when everything was coming, so it should be fine for a first warning. Logan said they're all working."

"I have a question!" Steph said loudly and suddenly.

"What?" Remy asked, sighing.

"Can we go get some food now?"

-----

"So Ellen, where do you come from?" Danial asked as the teens sat down to eat. Ellen looked around at the other students and then at them.

"Hm?" she said. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention."

"What were ya thinking about?" Steph asked curiously.

"Oh nothing, just, there are a lot of mutants here huh?" Ellen replied, looking around again.

"Yeah," Remy said. "Dat why I t'ink we'd do well against de muties lookin' for us chere. Dis place is trouble for anyone who wants t' cause problems."

"Probably," Ellen agreed. "But what's to stop people from just sending down a couple nukes? Who ever said that it would end up being a straight out fight between groups, with a battlefield and a chance for anyone to win?"

"Nukes?" Danial repeated. Ellen shook her head.

"Never mind, I'm probably just overreacting, but you have to think about that," she said, putting some of her salad in her mouth and chewing slowly.

"I don't t'ink 'bout it much," Remy said, shrugging and leaning back in his chair. "I t'ink dat we'd figure anyt'in out in any amount of time, when de time comes."

"So you'll just leave it up to chance?" Ellen said skeptically. Steph smiled.

"Nope," she said. "Rem means right now, this very second, it's very unlikely anything will attack us, so we should think more about our food for now. We'll deal with the stuff when it's more appropriate, even though it's not like we'll have much of a say anyway. Now that we came back dad's threatened to lock me in the holding cell for a month if I ever try that again, and the other parents think that they're the ones who need t' handle this now. We're still jus' kids, even if we did rescue Hank."

"So you'll leave it to the adults," Ellen said, nodding but not looking at all happy.

"Why not?" Danial asked. "We're still only Junior X Men, we shouldn't even have gone to rescue Hank anyway. And it's like Steph said, nothing's gonna attack us right here." All of a sudden they heard a small snikt and then a chopping noise, and suddenly with a startled yell Remy fell over backwards, landing with a loud thud.

"Hey!" he cried as another yell answered.

"BEESHA BAM ERMY!!!" Ruhko cried as she jumped up and down, waving her claws and growling at him. Danial burst out laughing as Steph got up and also laughing tried to grab at Ruhko, who neatly dodged and ran under the table. Growling himself Remy got to all fours and followed, crawling quickly.

"Dat's de las' time you do dat petite!" he said. Ruhko screamed happily and ran out from under the table, followed quickly by Remy as she ran through the cafeteria, under tables and through crowds with Remy on her tail, grinning as he finally caught her and started to tickles her mercilessly.

"Nyonononono!" the little girl screamed through her laughter.

"You t'ink you can jus' knock me over every day, do ya?" Remy said playfully.

"No! Ermy nyonono!" Ruhko cried. Laughing Remy stopped and sat down, picking Ruhko up and looking at her.

"No more o' dat, right?" he said, still laughing. Ruhko blinked, calming down somewhat.

"Ermy say funny words, like 'is dada!" she replied. Steph laughed as she caught up.

"So you can't understand Rem, huh?" she said, taking Ruhko from Remy and looking at her.

"No," Ruhko said seriously. "Ermy? No."

"Well what are ya gonna do 'bout that?" Steph asked, shrugging. Ruhko thought for a moment.

"Teach." She said. Steph raised an eyebrow.

"Teach? You're gonna teach him to talk?" she asked.

"Yup," Ruhko said, nodding as Steph sat her down, the small girl pushed Remy over and sat on his chest.

"Ach!" Remy said. "What're you feedin' her chere? She's as big as my pa! Remy's getting' crushed!"

"And how big is that?" Steph asked, seeing Remy Sr. approaching from an angle his son could not. Remy sighed.

"Dad's as big as de elephant in de World Record book," he said.

"Oh really?" Remy Sr. asked, arriving and crossing his arms, looking down at him son in amusement. Remy jumped, making Ruhko roll off his chest with a startled squeak and then a testy growl.

"Oh, pa!" Remy said. "Uh..."

"Don' try," Remy Sr. said, shaking his head and smiling, then looking at Ruhko. "I hear you teachin' my son how t' talk?" he said.

"You no talk either!" Ruhko said fiercely. "I teach both ya talk good now!" Steph chuckled.

"I wouldn't Mr. LeBeau," she said as Remy Sr. opened his mouth. "Ruk'll chop ya up with those claws of hers."

"They!" Ruhko said, glaring at Remy Jr. challengingly.

"Dey," Remy repeated.

"NO!" Ruhko yelled. "They!" Remy looked up at Steph for help, and the teen decided that any moment Ruhko's clenched fists were going to have claws growing out of them and she quickly picked up Ruhko, spinning her around and did her best Remy impression.

"They," she repeated. Ruhko, having not seen who spoke and too startled at being spun around, giggled.

"Yay!" she said. Steph stopped spinning Ruhko and looked at her, smiling.

"Yeah, yay," she said. "Now come on, I'll be Rogue's goin' nuts looking for ya."

"No Rug, dada," Ruhko said. "In Danger Room!"

"Is that the only name you get right?" Steph asked as she walked away, looking at Ruhko and shaking her head. "You should have gotten my name before Danger Room!"

"Stephny!" Ruhko cried out.

"Steph," Steph replied.

"Stephny!"

"No, Steph!"

"STEPHNY!!!"

"Alright, alright! Stephny then," Steph grumbled as she walked away. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

"Yeah," Danial said. "I've got to get to a class now anyway."

"Class?" Remy repeated, eyes narrowing. "It's Sunday!"

"Extra credit though, I'm working with Hank in his lab," Danial said, shaking his head. "Experiments and stuff, it's great!" Remy shook his head and rolled his eyes, but Ellen looked interested.

"What kind of experiments?" she asked.

"Lot's of stuff," Danial replied. "Usually with plants though."

"Can I come?" Ellen asked.

"You into science chere?" Remy Sr. asked. Ellen nodded.

"Yes," she said.

"I don't think Hank would mind," Danial shrugged. "Sure. But we have to hurry or we'll be late." Ellen nodded and got up, and the two teens said goodbye to Remy and his father and then left, leaving the two LeBeau's alone. Remy got up and smiled at his father.

"Yes?" he said.

"As big as n' elephant huh?" Remy Sr. replied.

"Yeah," Remy replied, laughing. His father laughed to and then got serious.

"We need t' go," he said. "It's good dat your friends are already busy."

"Where?" Remy asked.

"You have t' go talk to de Professor," Remy Sr. said.

"'Bout what?" Remy asked.

"He'll tell you, but you need t' hurry," Remy Sr. said. "C'mon."


	13. The Suspicion

"Ah, Remy," Xavier said as Remy entered, his father shutting the door behind him.

"Yeah?" Remy asked, seeing that Logan, Steph, and Scott were there as well. Steph looked as confused as Remy and she nodded with a quick smile in silent greeting.

"Well, there's no point in wasting time," Scott said. "Danial and Hank are keeping Ellen busy right now, otherwise my son would be here as well, and Hank would to."

"What do ya mean? Keeping Ellen busy?" Steph said suspiciously. Logan put his hand on her shoulder.

"What do you know about her?" he asked. Steph and Remy both looked at him, confusion clear in there expressions.

"What?" Steph said. "She saved our butts in the Labs and helped us escape."

"But do you know anything about her?" Scott asked.

"What's goin' on?" Remy asked suspiciously. Steph opened her mouth to answer Scott when Remy shook his head. "No, you tell us what's up 'fore we say anyt'in!"

"Remy," his father said in a warning voice.

"Ellen helped us get de doc out, n' she's helpin' us out against de muties dat wanna kill us, n' you're talkin' like she's some kinda threat!" Remy said, glaring at the adults. Steph looked at her father, then at the professor.

"What's going on?" she demanded. Xavier sighed.

"Ellen... might be a part of the mutant group that attacked you and Hank," he said.

"What?!" Remy and Steph cried.

"Where's the proof?" Steph said angrily. Logan growled.

"The proof? A human came up here this mornin' looking fer Ellen, an' I answered but he wouldn't talk t' me, he looked mad n' then he left," Logan said. "An' he was wearing a uniform."

"So?" Remy said.

"So I had the security up, n' he got through it in one piece. A human, after Ellen went 'round and checked out all o' the traps n' was left alone out there to show the guy how teh get through 'em," Logan growled. Scott cleared his throat.

"That's what we speculate," he said. "We can find no other reason right now."

"That don't mean a t'ing!" Remy shouted.

"That mean's plenty if it's true," Xavier said. "We do not want to falsely accuse her, but for the security of the mansion we need to be sure that she did not tell anyone how to bypass the security alarms protecting us."

"Ellen wouldn't be working with the labs," Steph said huffily, glaring at Xavier.

"How do you know? Have you ever even asked her?" Scott asked. Remy and Steph paused. They hadn't, they'd just assumed she wasn't because she had almost been killed trying to save them. Remy looked up and saw the small thread of suspicion and fear that fluttered through Steph's otherwise angry face, and she saw the same in his black and red eyes.

"There's no way she'd..." Steph stopped and just shook her head.

"We know she's your friend," Ororo said. "And we know she saved your life, and we're all grateful to her for it, but we can't let that gratefulness drop just because we are."

Remy and Steph left then, their bond letting both know exactly when they'd had enough and turning simultaneously they walked out of the room. No one made any move to stop them, and once they reached Remy's room they collapsed on his bed and beanbag the old couch they had brought up a while ago and didn't speak for a long time.

"What if it's true?" Steph asked finally. Remy sat up.

"Do you t'ink it's true petite?" he said.

"No, well, I don't feel it could be true," she admitted. "But Rem, they made some sense, and we don't know." Remy nodded and leaned back on his headboard.

"Dere are many explanations for de man your pa met dis mornin'," he said. "I t'ink we'd better talk t' El before anyone does anyt'in 'bout it." Steph nodded in agreement just as Danial called to them.

- Ellen's left, he said. She's coming to find you, how did the meeting go? -

- Ya shoulda told us 'fore what ya were up t', - Remy replied.

- Sorry, - Danial said sincerely. - But Father asked me not to, she's coming down the hall, I'd start talking about something innocent. - The connection broke off and Remy and Steph looked at eachother, feeling guilty about not telling Ellen what was going on they struck up a conversation about pranks they'd played and forced themselves to laugh as Ellen walked in through the door.

"Here you are," she said, not smiling.

"Hey," Steph replied. "You know what's funny? My dad when you've put itching powder in his night shirt and boxer drawers." Ellen didn't smile but Remy laughed, remembering the four or five times they had played the same joke on Logan. It had never ceased to be amusing until the punishments were dealt out, getting worse every time until it was truly hazardous to try the same thing again.

"So, what's going on?" Ellen asked.

"What ya mean chere?" Remy asked nonchantly.

"I mean, you're all very tense and when I walk by the adults in the hall they get all stiff. There was a meeting wasn't there?"

"Why would ya t'ink dat?" Remy asked. Ellen scowled.

"Because I heard Jean and Scott talking about it," she said. "If you people wanted to know anything you should ask, you shouldn't have meetings, it's not right." With that she leaned on the doorframe and waited expectantly as Steph and Remy looked down guiltily.

"Sorry chere," Remy said.

"We didn't know they were having a meeting," Steph said. "They surprised us. They- they said a guy got past all the defenses and was looking for you."

"And they thought I told him how to get by? Jeez, you people are really-" suddenly Danial pushed in and tripped, falling over and hitting the floor hard, then looking up.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Just getting away from father... uh, what was it you were saying?" The three teens looked at him and Ellen sighed.

"If they think I'm a threat, I'll leave," she said.

"No!" Steph said immediately. "We want ya here, just 'cause a couple a old farts are suspicious-"

"Have you ever tried living under suspicion?" Ellen asked. Steph thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Then you cannot possibly know how annoying and impossible it is. The man who showed up on your doorstep was probably just Habi, my grandfather, and was merely a ghost mutant, if you know what I mean. The guy's not even completely alive, and wouldn't trip an alarm in the White House. Ask Logan if he smelled anything if you don't believe me. Habi's always had an attitude , he probably was too impatient for Logan and that's why all of you suspect me now."

"We don'-" Remy began.

"Oh please, I could smell the suspicion when I walked into the room," Ellen said, rolling her eyes.

"Our parents just want to be sure," Danial said. "They just want us to be safe."

"Fine," Ellen said, turning her head. "Then I will leave. Should you need my help, I will be a call away. Good luck with the mutants, Remy, Steph, Danial." She tossed a small communicator to Remy and before the teen could reply walked out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

The three looked at eachother for a moment and then Remy and Steph jumped up and opened the door, but Ellen was already gone, an open window in the hall looking out to the lawns, where Bat raced off and disappeared into the woods. Danial followed the pair somewhat slower.

"I suppose the professor already knows she's gone," Steph said quietly.

"I suppose de chere ain't gonna be too happy wit us," Remy replied, looking at the communicator and then pocketing it.

"Shouldn't you give that to the adults?" Danial asked. Remy shook his head.

"Dey would either try 'n call 'er back, or get rid of it," he said. "Remy'll keep it fer when we need it."

"We will need it," Steph said, crossing her arms and glaring at the forest. "We needed her help, but the adults drove her away. We're gonna need her to help in this fight."

"What makes you think there will even be a fight?" Danial asked. "Maybe Ellen was just being paranoid, she seems like the type. What if they decide to leave us alone and never attack?"

"What if dey do?" Remy replied.

"What if we stop talking like this and go tell the professor that the suspicion just drove Ellen off?" Steph asked, throwing her hands up in the air and marching away. The two boys exchanged looks and followed her, bumping into Scott and Jean, who were talking. Steph growled at them.

"What?" Scott asked.

"Ellen jus' left," Steph said in her best Logan impersonation. "An' it's yer fault, bub, she heard yeh talkin' an' she left."

"Oh my," Jean said, looking worried. "She heard us talking about the meeting?" Scott turned his head.

"I didn't even know she was coming... she left? Was she angry?"

"Well she wasn't happy!" Steph said, turning away. "But she's still up to helpin' us if we ask her, I can't believe you even suspected her anyway!"

"What else could we have thought? She herself said our suspicion should be high right now," Jean said reasonably.

"Well, de chere left n' Remy's gonna miss 'er," Remy said, following as an indignant Steph huffed off.

"Danial," Jean said. Danial looked at the two leaving and then at his parents. Knowing what it meant Danial Gray Summers turned his back to his parents for the first time in his sixteen years of life.


	14. The Threat

"Well, today's a nice day fer a walk 'round the grounds, maybe check on the alarms, huh?" Logan asked, sitting down next to his daughter, Remy, and Danial. They didn't answer, knowing what his hidden joke meant. It had been a month since Ellen had angrily left the mansion and not once had the group of mutants attacked them. The professor hadn't found any trace of them nearby, and it was common opinion that the group had disbanded after the destruction of their base and deaths of Salla and Hype.

"Huh," was all Remy said, and Steph remained quiet.

"Still no word?" Logan asked, no longer teasing.

"What do you think?" Steph snapped. Logan's face tightened.

"Quiet," he said. "I'm still yer father, just cause yeh blame me fer Ellen runnin' off don't mean yeh can talk teh me like that."

"Yeah," Steph grumbled. Logan nodded and the rest of the meal remained quiet and undisturbed, until Scott and Remy Sr. arrived, looking grim.

"We gotta get up t' de Professor," Remy Sr. said, looking furious. Logan and the teenagers stood up and Scott shook his head as his son started to open his mouth.

"We need to have a meeting, the other X Men are already waiting for us," he said.

"What's goin' on?" Logan asked. Remy and Steph looked at eachother.

"She was right, wasn't she?" Steph said. "Ellen was right, the muties are coming, aren't they?" Remy studied Scott's face carefully as Steph spoke, his own father wouldn't give anything away except anger, but he could read Scott's expression clearly. Ellen had been right.

---

"Vy did they not just attack? Vy varn us before?" Kurt was asking as the small group arrived. As Steph walked in Ruhko threw herself at her sister.

"Beesha!" she cried, as Steph caught her.

"What?" Steph said, looking at her younger sister. Ruhko pointed at the window behind Xavier's desk, and all of the sudden the four newcomers were aware that it was broken, the glass shards on the floor carefully covered with brightly colored fabric so nobody would step of it and Ruhko would not become fascinated by the shining pieces.

"What happened?" Logan growled.

"We got a note," Xavier said simply. "Carried in by a rock. No doubt the large mutant Hank fought a while back was the one to throw it from beyond the alarms, it's message is simple."

"What?" Remy asked.

"The Labs want you three, Hank, and Ellen to surrender yourselves to them, immediately, or they will, quote, burn the mansion to the ground and rips us all to shreds," Xavier said, shaking his head and handing the crumpled note to Logan and the teenagers. "We all know that this is not an option, but we do not know the exact course we should take to prepare for any kind of attack."

"Humph, you'd think they'd at least get a better speller to write this," Steph said, reading the note. "They spelled 'destruction' wrong, 'immediately' too."

"This is no laughing matter," Jean chided.

"We should evacuate the children first," Ororo said. Xavier nodded.

"But vere do you take so many mutant children?" Kurt asked. "Vonce ve vould take them here, this vos the only place for them, but now they cannot be here either?"

"I have a friend in England who runs a boarding house, where the children stay," Xavier said. "I have already contacted her and she'll be glad to take them for a while. But one of the adults will need to accompany them, for the trip there and back, and helping her watch over them. All of the parents who sent their children here have also been notified, and some of the children will be returning to their homes." There was a silence after this, only broken by Ruhko struggling to get out of Steph arms, and Steph grunting with the effort of keeping her little sister.

"We're stayin'," Remy said immediately. The adults looked at him, and Xavier nodded slowly.

"Yes, I fear that in this fight we will need as many X Men as we have, Bobby, Rogue, Jubilee, and Kitty will also be staying unless they wish to leave," he said.

"What about Ellen?" Danial asked.

"Stop it!" Steph hissed at Ruhko.

"She'll have been long gone by now," Scott sighed.

"Maybe, but we've got-" Danial was cut off as Ruhko cried out in alarm as she slid down Steph's front and landed on her butt on the floor with a loud squeak.

"Well I told you!" Steph cried out in exasperation as Remy took the opportunity of the adults looking at Steph as she struggled to pick Ruhko up again, who was wailing loudly and trying to crawl away.

"Don' say nuthin, mon ami," Remy hissed. Danial nodded, not understanding why but not about to do anything stupid to get his new friends in trouble.

"Give 'er teh me," Logan was saying, taking Ruhko from Steph as the teen handed her over gladly, sulking.

"She likes Rogue better, why ain't she here?" she asked. It was the first time Remy and Danial noticed that none of the other Junior X Men were there.

"Dey went out t' lunch," Remy Sr. explained, seeing their confused expressions. "Not back yet."

"Humph," Steph said. "Figures they're out smoochin' while we deal with invaders about too kill us!"

"Relax," Logan said, nudging her with an elbow. "Any tighter 'bout this n' yeh could explode. Yer the kinda kid that takes action, n' doesn't worry 'bout this kinda stuff, so don't take it seriously n' yeh'll be better off for it."

"Can't say that's the advice I'd give her," Ororo smiled. "Nevertheless, I agree with Logan, you three, Remy and Steph especially, usually excel when you're breaking rules or sneaking around. Perhaps you could do what you'd normally do, only keep us posted this time, alright?"

"Sure," Steph said. "Can we go now? We have to get ready, when will the kiddies be leavin'?"

"This evening," Scott said. "Jean, if you and Milana would accompany them..."

"You just want me away from the fighting," Jean said, shaking her head. "But we'll look after the children, right Milana?"

"I'd much rather look after my child," Milana sighed, looking at Remy and shaking her head. "But I suppose only womanly power will safely see the children to all of their homes. You three, try and avoid major trouble, and you!" She looked at her husband, who had sneaked his arm around her waist from behind. He gave her an innocent look, but his son laughed and ruined any chance of sympathy.

"Oui petite?" he said. Milana shook her head.

"If I come home and find our room a mess, or my son injured or in any danger at all, it will be on your head!" Her husband nodded vigorously.

"I get dat," he said, "De room stays clean, de boy-"

"Hey!" Remy said indignantly. Remy Sr. ignored him.

"If de boy gets 'imself in any trouble, I get 'im out 'fore you get back, an' in one piece," he nodded again and Milana sighed, giving him a quick peck on the cheek and then pulling away.

"Come on Jean," she said, walking to the door. "Let's get ready for a field trip." Jean nodded and the two women left. When the door clicked shut Steph looked around.

"We'll be off then," she said, turning to the door. Logan caught her shoulder and she stopped with one foot still in the air.

"N' where do ya think yer goin?" he growled.

"To scheme," Steph said, putting her foot down and keeping her voice as innocent as possible. "It is what Professor Xavier told us to do, are you gonna make me ignore our beloved teacher? Will you, daddy, make me choose between you and the other man who has become my role model and almost-but-not-really-godfather?" Her voice hit a whining note as she turned, her eyes sparkling with the promise of tears if she needed them to make her point. Xavier hid a smile while Hank chuckled and Scott sighed. Ororo, Remy, and Danial turned away to keep from laughing, but only Logan seemed to take it seriously.

"Fine," he said after a moment, caving in as a small tear tumbled down Steph's cheek. Gently Logan wiped it away and smiled, "Aw, cut it out n' get outta my sight." Steph immediately beamed and threw her arms around him.

"I knew I loved ya," she said, no trace of tears left. Then, before Logan could do anything she threw open the door and bounded out, followed closely by her friends, and all three of them burst out laughing as they ran.

"Vell, it seems she still know how to get vat she vants, my friend," Kurt laughed. Logan growled.

"I know," he said. "I knew she was fakin' it, though."

"Women," Remy Sr. said, shaking his head. "Dey all de same."


	15. The Fight

"Ah! Damn this infernal piece of-"

"Whoa!" Remy said, grabbing Steph's wrist as she drew it back to chuck the communicator across the room. Grabbing her fist he pried it open and took the device from her.

"It hates me!" Steph moaned, collapsing backwards on Remy's bed. Remy laughed and paced the room, turning the communicator over in his hands as Danial sat down on Steph's orange and purple bean bag chair.

"For someone who can disable security locks by the amount of dust on the buttons and can hack into any computer file she wants, you're sure hopeless with the simple things," he said, smiling. Steph growled.

"If something hates ya, it hates ya," she replied. "It doesn't matter how good ya are with computers."

"Dere!" Remy said, stopping and triumphantly held up the device, which had clicked. A silver tray had shot out with a few buttons on it. Remy stood over Steph and smiled, holding out the communicator to her. "Ken ya work dis now?" he asked. Steph opened her eyes and looked at it.

"Are you gonna be agreeable now?" she asked it. After a moment she nodded. "Okay then, let's buzz Ellen!" taking it she turned it around a few times, then studied the buttons. Pressing a green button the things buzzed, then the tray snapped shut. Steph jumped in surprise and sat up.

"Ah!" she said again, but before anything else could happen they heard a voice.

"Hello?"

"Hey! It worked!" Danial said, looking bored and leaning back in the chair. Steph held the thing up.

"What do you talk into?" she asked Remy. The small voice sounded again.

"Steph? Is that you?"

"Ellen?" Steph replied, looking confused. "Where do you talk into this thing?!"

"Just like you are, I can hear you fine," Ellen said, grunting slightly. "I hope you didn't call just to chat, I don't have the time."

"No, we didn't," Remy said, taking the device from Steph. "Look chere, we're sorry 'bout de suspicion, you were right. De muties, uh, demanded dat me n' Steph n' Dan, n' you too, dey want us t' surrender to dem."

"Have you explained that I'm not there?" Ellen asked, sounding rushed. The three teenagers exchanged looks.

"No," Remy said slowly. "We're not surrenderin', de adults won't have it."

"Good," Ellen huffed. "But do _not_ tell those idiots that I am not with you, they won't know any different, we could use that to our advantage. What's happening for preparations?"

"We're scheming," Steph said. "The adults are sending all the kiddies home, then we get ready for fighting."

"Don't leave the mansion," Ellen said quickly. "No one, they'll pick you off. I'll be up as soon as I can, don't do anything to provoke a fight before I contact you again, got it?"

"Yeah," Remy said. "We get it."

"Ok, I- oh no, I've gotta go. Don't talk anymore!" Ellen's voice sounded frazzled and Steph took the communicator.

"What is going on? Are you in trouble?" she demanded.

"Shh!" Ellen replied. "Well, not anything I can't get out of, it's happened before..."

"What?" Remy asked.

"I'm... kind of in a cage at the moment."

"A cage?!" all three X Men said.

"One of those small time traveling shows, freak shows," Ellen sighed. "If these guys see me change, or just get suspicious, they try to catch me. They do it to a lot of mutants. Don't worry, I'll be there soon though. As soon as this idiot thinks that he has a real white tiger and not a tiger-girl in this tiger-girl-proof cage... yeah, I'll be there soon, don't worry."

"Accourse," Steph said bitterly. "I'd never worried about one of my friends caught in a freak show cage."

"Quiet, if the guy hears me talking there's no chance. I'll contact you later, I promise. And remember, no one goes outside! Alright, press the red button or you'll still be transmitting, these dumb Lab communicators are such a pain."

"Lab communicators?" Remy replied.

"Stolen, jeez, you people don't trust easy. Contact you later." With a click the tray opened again and Steph reluctantly hit the red button.

"Well that was alright," Danial said. "She's coming back, if we didn't offend her right then."

"Of all de t'ings t' keep her tied down," Remy said, smiling slightly. "An idiot wit a cage."

"And now we're caged in here," Steph said, looking at her window. "Caged inside the only defense we have."

"I hate irony," Danial grumbled.

"I t'ink mos' people do when it's working 'gainst dem," Remy replied.

----

The halls were quiet as the teenagers walked down them.

"Man, this place is creepy without little kids running everywhere and being bratty," Steph said. Then she sighed. "Not even Ruhko to disturb the peace. Where is my little sister!"

"You miss her already?" Danial said. "She's only been gone an hour."

"Humph," was all Steph said.

"We need t' talk t' de doc before we do anyt'in," Remy said. Steph hid a small smile and Danial reeled around suddenly, staring at her with a hint of laughter in his eyes.

"What?!" he cried. Steph blushed.

"Why are ya reading my mind?" she demanded angrily.

"Huh?" Remy said, confused.

"I did not!" Danial protested. "You projected that so-"

"What is it petite?" Remy asked.

"No way! Really? Hank?!" Danial said. Remy froze.

"What?" he said.

"Shut up!" Steph said. "Or I'll rip you to-"

"Does Hank know?" Danial said, laughing. Remy suddenly understood and burst out laughing himself.

"I knew it!" he crowed. "Ah chere- de fires of l-"

"Quiet!" Steph shrieked, trying to punch him but missing. "That's not funny, shut up shut up shutup!"

"I always knew you had a thing for him!" Danial said, laughing so hard now he was bent over. "Does he know?"

"Does who know what, my young mischief makers?" The three spun around to see Hank coming down the hall, smiling at them. Steph froze but Remy and Danial only started laughing harder, much to Hank's confusion.

"Stop," Steph growled at them, hands beginning to tremble with rousing anger.

"Pity you didn't hear," Danial said through his laughter.

"Pity I didn't hear what?" Hank asked. Remy opened his mouth but shut it promptly as Steph elbowed him hard in stomach, not looking at Hank as she march-ran down the hall.

"Aw, c'mon petite," Remy panted, trying to stop laughing and rubbing his stomach. "We jus' kiddin'!"

"Kid by yourselves then, ass!" Steph replied.

"Stephanie?" Hank said, grabbing her wrist to stop her from leaving. Steph stiffened, looking like a deer caught in headlights at him. "What is going on?" he asked, making the two boys erupt in laughter again.

"You have no idea!" Remy gasped.

"SHUT UP!" Steph screamed at the three, wrenching her hand away from Hank she turned and ran down the hall, back into her room and slammed the door. Hank turned to the young men as they slowly regained control of themselves.

"I do not know why the young lady is so upset," he said seriously. "But before you go about making fun of her again, I would suggest thinking about the damage it could do to your relationship." Remy and Danial nodded at him, then started laughing again as he finished his sentence. Hank walked down to the door.

"Uh oh," Remy said, about to fall over as his whole body shook with mirth. Hank knocked on the door.

"Stephanie?" he said, opening the door and crying out as a pair of nunchuks sped over his head and hit the wall.

"GET OUT!" Steph screamed as the door snapped shut. Hank leapt backwards and then shook his head, looking disapprovingly at Remy and Danial, who had stopped laughing.

"The time for ill feelings is no time, but now is possibly the worst," he said. "On the eve of a battle you need to be sure you are on good terms with all, especially your close friends." With that he turned and walked down the hall, pausing only to pick up the thrown weapons and tucking them in the pocket of his lab coat. Danial and Remy exchanged looks and timidly walked to Steph's door.

"Petite?" Remy called, knocking on her door. He got no reply. "I'm sorry!" he shouted.

"Me too," Danial said to the door, "We really didn't mean to embarrass you. Open the door?" There was no answer, and no sound of any movement from inside, and after a few minutes Remy sighed.

"We gotta go tell de plan t' de adults," he said, leaning with his forehead on the door. "If you ain't gonna come, den we need to go wit'out you chere." Still receiving no reply Remy pulled away dejectedly and looked at Danial, nodding down the hall.

"But what about Steph?" Danial asked. Remy looked at the door.

"I t'ink we hurt her more den we thought," he muttered. "We'd best leave 'er alone for a bit, c'mon." The two boys looked at the door again and then left.


	16. The Councils

Remy and Danial sighed as they finished outlining their plan, looking hopefully at the adults.

"Question," Logan grunted, looking at the map the boys had used to help show the plan. "Where's Steph?" Danial looked at his feet and Remy's eyes drifted back to the map, while Hank, standing near the door, only shook his head at them in disappointment.

"We, uh," Remy said. "She ain't too happy wit us right now, de petite is in her room." Logan growled.

"What did yeh do?" he demanded. "Steph doesn't get mad that easily, n' she's not one t' miss important meetin's jus' cause she feels a lil' upset."

"Yeah," Remy Sr. said, standing up. "What did you do?"

"Um," Danial said, then fell silent until his father's stare made him open his mouth again. "We, we kind of made fun of her about something, and got her real mad."

"The boys took their usual male habits of teasing a bit too far," Hank said. "I know not what the issue was, but they know what they did wrong, correct?" Both boys nodded, heads hung, and the professor cleared his throat and looked at Rogue, who was sitting with the other Junior X Men, holding Bobby's hand.

"Perhaps it's a time for a sister to counsel her?" he said. Rogue nodded at once and jumped up.

"Ah'll go right away," she said, walking to the door.

"Oh," Hank said, remembering Steph's nunchuks in his pocket. "If you would be so kind as to return these to Stephanie, I think she will be missing them."

"Did she throw those at someone?" Ororo asked, looking worried.

"It has been solved, fair goddess of weather," Hank assured her. "I merely hung on to them for safe keeping." Rogue took them and stared hard at Remy and Danial.

"If ya think you got away with hurtin' my lil' sister," she said. The professor cleared his throat and Rogue nodded, mouthing the words "Yoh dead" as she turned and left.

- Oops, - Danial thought.

- Yes, oops, - Xavier replied, surprising him. - I would have thought better of you and Remy, Danial. -

"Steph?" Rogue knocked on the door and then slowly went inside, to find her sister laying facedown on her bed, lying still. Rogue slowly walked over and sat on the bed, pulling Steph up into a hug. "Boys ah jerks," she murmured into Steph's flaming hair.

"Yeah," Steph mumbled, not pulling away from Rogue but not returning the hug either. Rogue noticed the twin now-dry streaks on Steph's cheeks.

"Ya want me ta kill'em?" she asked, pretending to be hopeful. Steph shook her head and hiccupped.

"I wanna be the one to do it," she growled. Rogue laughed and handed her the nunchuks.

"Then yoh'll need these," she said. Steph looked at them and sighed, pulling herself up until she was sitting next to Rogue, leaning on her shoulder and holding her weapons in her hands. A sword with a black scabbard and silver metal handle, a recent gift from her father, lay in the middle of the floor, gleaming in the afternoon light filtering through the window.

"An' when did dad decide it was safe ta let ya go aroun' with that?" Rogue asked. Steph smiled.

"Last week," she said. "Cause I'm so much better with the staffs than you. But if he catches me with it anywhere but on missions or the Danger Room with it... yeah." Rogue smiled and hugged Steph again.

"So, ya gonna tell me what th' boys were teasin' yoh lil' sword weildin' person about?" Steph shook her head and buried it into Rogue's shoulder again, grunting. "Fahne, keep yoh secret," Rogue laughed.

"I will," Steph murmured. "Forever."

------

Ken looked at the mansion through the front bars, sighing and leaning on them with both hands gripping the bars high above his head.

"They aren't coming," Ink said from behind him, his arms crossed as he paced. "We should have begun the attack hours ago, when that jet lifted off. We're only giving them time to make their plans and raise their defenses."

"Something's not right," Ken said, sniffing the air, a white lock of hair drifted in the breeze across his face. "Something about this place, I don't like it."

"Then let's destroy it," Ink said, leaning his back on the gates and looking Ken straight in the eye, a glint of hunger in both pairs of eyes. "It's what we were made to do, even if the others don't know it."

"Quiet," Ken snapped, banging his fist on the gates and pulling away. "If the others knew, how many more will leave? They were mad enough when Ellen escaped, what will the Labs do if they even find out what we know? What Ellen knows?"

"They won't find out," Ink said. "The scientists or the other mutants. We're the only ones smart enough to find out, Ken, who else would be capable of getting in? Salla? She's a savage. Mattel? Stupid oaf, he just bashes things into dust. Alora wouldn't want to find it out, and Hype's just a silly little girl. She can't even get near computers without blowing them up."

"Yeah," Ken grunted, pushing his hair back. "Still, I've been tampered with enough. You and I might need to take a leaf out of Ellen's book if anything happens in there, unless you want to be a lab rat again." Ink didn't show it, but inside he shuddered.

"No way," he said. "I'll be a turncoat if I need to be, I don't really care."

"You know come of us could die up there, these guys are that strong," Ken said. Ink nodded.

"But we'll all die if we don't do our jobs," Ink said. "Besides, it's already been too long. You can feel it, I know, even if you try and hide it. And Salla, man, she's going nuts. If she doesn't taste blood soon she'll attack the _Labs_ for the hell of it."

"Yeah," Ken grunted again. "C'mon let's go get the others. Twilight, they won't expect us then. Twilight tonight."


	17. The Attack

Steph emerged from her room into the darkening hall, looking around as Rogue followed her slowly.

"Wha is it so dark?" she asked. Steph's hand was resting on the hilt of her sword, which hung at her belt. Her nunchuks were also stuck in her sash, and she looked jumpy.

"They turned off the lights," she said. "Part of the plan, weren't ya listening? Did ya even make it to the meeting?"

"Ah- ah missed that part," Rogue said sheepishly. Steph groaned.

"Ya didn't listen at all because your boyfriend was with ya, great!" she said.

"Are ya gonna tell me what's goin' on?" Rogue said, brushing off the remark. Steph sighed and nodded, stopping as they reached a window that had its shades drawn.

"No light in here when they attack, they'll probably do it at night," she said. "So we transfer all the power to the defenses and hope it shakes them up a little. There will be a couple different groups of us in different parts of the mansion, hiding out, waiting. When the muties come near a group, bam! We take them out before they knew what hit them!" Steph hit her fist on her hand as she spoke, then grinned.

"Who am Ah with? What group?" Rogue asked.

"You're with dad, I think, dad and Kurt and Scott and Jubes, I'd go wait for them at the main stair," Steph replied, checking her glow-watch. "I'm with Remy and Danial, Remy's dad and Hank. The other group is mom, Bobby, the professor, Piotr, and Kitty. They're waiting in the cafeteria, I'm supposed to meet up with my group down-" before she could finish talking they heard a loud explosion, which made both girls leap to the floor.

"What was that?!" Rogue said. Steph turned pale.

"Oh man, they must have hit the garage! That's where Remy and Danial are!" she said, scrambling to her feet and running down the hall.

"Steph, wait!" Rogue called after her, flying after her. But Steph had also realized that running was the slower, more tiring way to get around, and had zipped off before Rogue could follow her.

-----

"Where is Steph?" Danial said, kicking a screw driver that was on the floor near the bike Scott had been working on recently. Remy and his father were sitting with their backs leaned up against a red sports car, enflaming their eyes even in the darkening room, while Hank kneeled with his chin resting on his fist behind another car.

"Stephanie will arrive, she is not the maid to abandon important tasks because of her feelings," he assured the teen. Danial grunted and leaned back on the bike.

"Maybe," he grumbled. Remy was silent and Remy Sr. turned to him.

"Never get a red car," he joked. "It clashes horribly wit your hair." Remy looked over at his father and grunted.

"Quiet old man," he said. Remy Sr. growled.

"Who are you callin' old?" he said. "Is dat any way t' talk t' your father?"

"_Oui_," Remy replied, and his father laughed, then hit Remy over the head with his Bo staff. "Ouch!"

"You old man can still whip ya int' shape," Remy Sr. said, "Watch your back." Remy opened his mouth to reply when suddenly, without any warning, the entire front wall of the garage exploded, sending wood, dust, and rock everywhere. Immediately the four X Men jumped low, behind different cars to hide themselves. As the dust cleared it became apparent that it was not an explosive, but rather Mattel, the large mutant, who had thrown himself into the key beam that made the entire wall collapse.

The mutant gang, minus Hype, walked into the garage, and the four X Men stayed low and out of sight.

"Alright, we're in, they'll be around soon," Ken said, looking at the others. "Let's split into groups. Ink, you and Alora will go in first, find the stairs and get up to the top, look for anyone up there. Salla and Mattel, you search this floor for any mutants. Remember, we're not here to take prisoners, save Ellen, got it?"

"Where are you going?" Salla snarled. Ken didn't answer for a moment.

"I'm going to find the computers," he said. "This place has been known for scientific stuff, and the Labs would be interested in anything we can bring back. So no destroying computer terminals unless you have to."

"What kind of scientific research?" Alora said.

"At the very least, documentation of every mutant that went here, at the most, the super computer said to be able to find every mutant and human in the entire world," Ken replied. "We're wasting time, Ink and Alora, go!"

- Stay down, - Remy Sr.'s voice was projected into Hank and Remy's mind. - We can't take dem all, wait till dey part a liddle bit. Remy stopped breathing as the boy Ink and the girl in blue gloves, Alora, walked past the car he and his father were behind, not noticing two of their enemies were so near. A minute later they heard Ken speak again.

"I'm going now, there are supposed to be some labs underground, you wait a couple minutes, then go around this floor," he said, then also walked by. Remy was about to jump him as he got closer but his father grabbed his wrist and stopped him, shaking his head and mouthing "Not yet". Remy nodded and relaxed slight, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm down like he had been taught to before a battle.

After a couple minutes Salla snarled.

"Can you smell that?" she said.

"Huh?" Mattel answered in a deep, slow voice. They heard Salla sniff and take a step forward.

"Someone's in here," she spat. "Muties! Search the room, they're here somewhere!" Remy heard a huffing sound and risked peeking through the windows, just in time to see Mattel throw a car clear across the room, into two other cars. Salla dodged them and bounded from one car roof to another, coming closer every second while Mattel searched the other side of the garage.

"De petite," Remy mouthed to his father, nodding and tightening his grip on his Bo staff. Remy Sr. nodded, concentrating on listening for the thumping of Salla landing on a car roof or hood as it got louder. Suddenly she was on the car they were pressed up against, but hadn't noticed them yet. With a roar Remy Sr. leapt up and struck out with his Bo staff, hitting Salla square in the chest.

"Hey!" she yelled as she flew backwards into the side of a car. Mattel yelled and charged at them, and Remy, Danial, and Hank jumped up as well, momentarily surprising the slow witted mutant, which gave Remy Jr. the chance to throw a few charged cards. The explosions hit Mattel in the chest, but it only made him roar again and charge.

"Die!" he screamed. Remy glanced over and saw that his father was ruthlessly attacking Salla, for the moment driving her back with kicks and strikes with his bo staff, until he brought it up with both hands to catch her under the chin, and she caught it.

"Like Mattel's vocabulary?" Salla grunted as she pushed against the staff, Remy Sr. pushing back and growling. "Only word he knows really, besides "yeah boss". Not too smart, but I'd like to see your brat try and take him on, even with the blue guy and his friend with him." Remy Sr. growled and spun suddenly, regaining control of his Bo staff and kicking Salla in the chest.

"Den I'll help 'em, soon as I finish wit you," he replied.

Remy looked back at Mattel, who was coming closer and raised his own Bo staff to the ready position, then realized that it would take brains to defeat this foe. Waiting till a second before Mattel reached him he ducked and rolled, striking out his Bo staff and hitting Mattel in the knees. The staff broke into three pieces and Mattel crashed, and immediately was wrestled down by Hank, while Remy got to his feet.

"Watch out doc!" Remy yelled as Mattel tried to head butt the doctor. But Hank, used to Danger Room exercises with Steph and Remy who would frequently butt anyone in their way, easily dodged and put a foot on Mattel's head.

"Young Danial, if you are planning on anything I would advise you hurry," he puffed, sweating. Remy watched as Danial quickly placed his hands on Mattel's head, and after a moment the boy grunted and fell still. Cautiously Hank got off and checked him.

"Still alive," he confirmed.

"What didja do t' him?" Remy asked.

"Telepathic block, he can't move or wake up until I remove it," Danial replied. Remy heard a shout and then remembered his father, and spun around to see that Salla had at last succeeded in hitting the older man, sending Remy crashing down to the floor, his Bo staff sliding across the floor away from him.

"Pa!" Remy shouted, but even as Remy Sr. opened his eyes Salla loomed above him, a nasty grin on her face as she bent down and grabbed his shirt, pulling him up and smashing her fist into his face. Grunting in pain Remy Sr. again hit the floor, and Salla kicked him mercilessly, even as he tried to roll over and grab his weapon.

"Finish with me, huh?" she gloated, "We'll see who finishes who old man, you ain't fit for the title of mutant, you're just a freak with demon eyes." Kicking him again she put her foot on his throat and looked cockily over at Hank and Danial, who stopped advancing, frozen for the sake of thier old friend.. Remy Sr. struggled, but as she pressed her foot down he stopped and glared up at her, a cut on his forehead and his nose bleeding badly.

"One move from you freaks and he's a goner," Salla said triumphantly, pressing her foot down harder. The Cajun on the floor started to choke, his hands scrabbling at her foot, trying to wrench it off, though his tired and wounded hands and lack of oxygen made it impossible to throw her. Salla beamed at him. "Now where's that brat of yours? Run away has he?" Remy tapped on her shoulder, and even as Salla whirled around he brought up his father's weapon and struck her has hard as he could across the face. Salla fell heavily, and grunting Remy pushed her off his father, who had started to cough.

"Pa, you ok?" Remy asked worriedly. Remy Sr. smiled.

"T'anks fer de help," he said "Good job wit 'er too." Remy helped him sit up and the older LeBeau tenderly touched his still bleeding nose as Hank and Danial hurried over. Danial paused and put the same mental block on Salla as he had done to Mattel before coming over.

"Let me see," Hank said, pushing the hand away. He made a tuting noise and shook his head. "I'm afraid your nose is broken, you'll have to get it fixed up later though, we have to help our friends."

"'Course," Remy Sr. said, getting up. Remy offered him his Bo staff but he shook his head. "You use dat for now," he said.

"Pa?" Remy replied, looking shocked. "Dis is your favorite staff!"

"It's de staff of a LeBeau, and your new one's broken," his father replied. "You carry it, but don't break it, right?"

"Right," Remy said, beaming.

"Come," Hank said, looking at the three. "Our friends will not have it so easy, I think." The others set off, but as Remy was the first to leave the garage he noticed something the others had missed. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a black trench coat whip around the corner of the hall, going towards the elevator.


	18. The Pair

Scott was pacing while Logan leaned on the wall, Kurt sitting on the banister with his tail lazily swinging around, while Jubilee popped another bubble.

"That explosion was like, really loud," she said after a moment of complete silence. "Shouldn't we go see what-"

"Quiet," Logan growled, tensing slightly as his voice dropped. "Finally, they're commin' down the hall, they'll be here in a sec." Immediately all four X Men ducked behind the stairs and soon they heard Ink talking in a low voice.

"Man," he groaned. "I bet Salla and Mattel are already out of the fight."

"Well, good for them," Alora replied, pulling at her gloves nervously. Ink kicked a small table that was in the hall over, grunting in frustration.

"We shouldn't have split up," he growled. "I've told Ken before, that's how we lost Brandy and Ellen, damn them!" All four X Men jerked and Logan almost growled, looking at the stunned faces of Kurt, Jubilee, and Scott and knowing they were sharing the same thoughts. So Ellen was, at least, an ex member of this little gang.

"We won that battle," Alora said, stopping. "The so-called Blades, masters of the underworld were wiped out, we killed them all without Ellen and Brandy."

"That's not the point," Ink replied, kicking the already fallen table again and breaking a leg off. "If we hadn't split up Ellen wouldn't have ran and Brandy would still be alive. The only reason Ken makes us split up is because he wants to weed out the weak, but we don't have enough new gits waiting-" Ink stopped very suddenly and there was a moment of silence.

"Enough gits?" Alora replied in a soft, silky voice. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing," Ink grunted. "Come on, let's go. The stairs are over there-" he started to walk again and reached the banister that unbeknownst to him had had Kurt perched upon it a few moments before. Alora had not kept walking and called out after him.

"Ink! What are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing!" Ink yelled back. "Hurry up!"

"You know, don't you?" Alora screamed, and when Logan looked he saw she was almost purple with anger. "You know why we don't know who we are! You know!"

"So what if I do?!" Ink yelled back. Alora's face froze.

"You-" she spat. "How could you?! Ink! How could you do this to me?! To the others! And Ken, he knows to doesn't he? Doesn't he?!"

"You all are too stupid to know!" Ink yelled. "You have no idea!"

"Not if the ones who can find out never tell us!" Alora screamed back.

"We can talk about this later," Ink snapped, shaking his head. "Come on, we've got a mission."

"No," Alora said coldly. Ink turned to face her, and Logan saw his chance, leaping over the railing before the others could stop him his claws unsheathed and he grabbed Ink, whirling the boy around and putting them up to his throat. Ink didn't even look surprised, hands falling to his sides as he stared coldly at the Canadian.

"Kill me," he said. Logan growled.

"Who are yeh?" he snarled instead.

"Alora," Ink called out. Alora looked at him for a long moment, hatred burning in her eyes.

"What are we Ink? Answer the guy's question, I'd like to know too," she said, not moving as Scott, Kurt, and Jubilee emerged. Ink got a pained look on his face, though Alora couldn't see it.

"We're soldiers," he said. "We guard the Labs. So we're nothing, really, don't you think?" Alora looked away, and Ink directed his gaze back to Logan. "Kill me now or you'll regret it, mutie," he whispered. Logan clenched his jaw and looked at the floor.

"Order, Cyke?" he said. Scott looked as pained as he was, and Ink laughed, looking above Logan's head.

"You stupid oafs, you can't even give someone a clean death when they deserve it!" he said. "I warned you." All of the sudden the X Men found themselves enveloped in a thick green and black fog that was both blinding and un-breathable. Logan suddenly found that he was no longer holding Ink's shirt, the boy had managed to slip away without him noticing.

Another thing Logan noticed quickly was that he couldn't heal from lack of oxygen, and as he started to choke he suddenly wondered what the others had managed. Suddenly he heard a yelp from his left, and turning he walked forward, blindly, trying to find the edge of the cloud when he tripped over something large.

"Logan!" Jubilee gasped for air as he toppled down the stairs into clear air, landing on the floor. His healing factor made any bruising he might have had otherwise nonexistent and he looked around just in time to see Ink's foot connect with his face.

"Arg!" the short man cried, falling backwards. Jubilee looked around and spotted Scott's foot half sticking out of the smoke, Scott himself nearly bent over from lack of oxygen. Doing the only thing she could think of Jubilee twisted around, grabbed the foot, and threw it. With a startled yell Scott flew backwards out of the smoke and into Ink, knocking both of them to the floor.

"Alora!" Ink yelled as Kurt bamfed out of the smoke and grabbed his shoulders when he scrambled to his feet. The girl did nothing as her companion grabbed his knife and swung it at Kurt, who teleported away again. Jubilee looked over at her and for a brief moment their eyes met, and the gaze was held. Then Alora broke off the connection, her eyes narrowing.

"Dodge this you blue creep," she snarled at Kurt, one hand shooting out. A blue blast, like a laser bolt, flew out of her palm and hit Kurt between the shoulder blades, and he crashed to the floor, motionless. Logan and Scott jumped at Ink while Jubilee sent a shower of fireworks at Alora, who threw herself to the floor just in time and replied with a red laser blast, which blew up the railing to the immediate right of Jubilee.

BAM!

"OW!" Logan said, backing up a step before swinging his bladed fist at Ink, the bullet popping out of his chest. Ink dodged and elbowed Scott hard, even as more smoke started to wrap around them, just as a cry cut short sounded and Jubilee fell senseless to the floor.

---

Steph flew past her father and the others unnoticed, keeping to the ceiling, and reaching the garage she watched as Ink and Alora left, murmuring in low voices. They were headed to the group on the stairs, so Steph didn't bother following them, hovering above the door and waiting to hear anything that would signal further battle. Finally voices, and suddenly Ken walked through, not going that way Ink and Alora had traveled, but the other direction. No one else came with him, which left Mattel and Salla in the garage with Steph's group.

Confident that her teammates could handle the two Steph followed Ken, keeping high above him and staying as silent as possible. He seemed to know where he was going, and Steph didn't like it, especially when he found the hidden elevator and went down. As the doors clicked shut Steph landed and looked at them, then thought quickly.

She wouldn't be able to use the elevator, too noisy and slow, she'd loose Ken. Smiling to herself she opened another secret panel and all of a sudden she was looking at narrow, spiral stairs for emergencies. Sliding down them proved faster than the elevator, and she waited to hear it chime and the soft footsteps of Ken disappear before daring to open the door.

----

Xavier, Ororo, Kitty, and Bobby, and Piotr looked calmly at the entire squadron of soldiers that were frozen in front of them.

"I'm never going to get used to that," Bobby shuddered slightly. Kitty walked up to one of the soldiers.

"What are we going to do with them?" she asked. Xavier sighed.

"Bobby, if you would be so kind as to freeze our guests together, we can contact the local authorities and have them take care of that," Xavier said.

"So these are all humans?" Ororo said thoughtfully. "I would have thought there would be more."

"There were more," Xavier said, smiling. "We had some help."

"What?" Bobby and Kitty said turning fast to just catch a glimpse of a white and black stripped tail slip back into the edge of the forest. Piotr smiled.

"She's back," he said.

----

"Oof!" Logan grunted as the wind was knocked out of him, being pushed back a couple of steps from Ink's kick, right into another red blast from Alora's hands. Logan cried out in pain as he was blown backwards into a wall. Alora sighed as he tried to get to his feet, sweat dripping down his face, and calmly the teen shot him.

"Well, you're outnumbered," Ink sneered at Scott, wrestling with him and trying to get the older man's back to Alora so she could get a clear shot. "And as soon as you go down, you and all your little friends are gonna die."

Scott grunted, but was caught by surprise when Ink suddenly yanked him forward and he tripped, scrambling to get up but at the same time waiting for the blast to take him down like the others. Ink seemed shocked as Scott tried to get up again and start pushing back, but Ink held him down and started to beat him.

"Alora!" he yelled. "What are you doing?"

"She's gone shugah," said a voice, "Rogue's here now." Ink looked up, started, just in time to see the foot connecting with his jaw.

"Ah!" he cried, toppling over backwards. Logan groggily grabbed him, and being too dizzy to do anything else, pushed him on his belly and sat on his back, blinking at Rogue and Scott as they got up.

"Huh, good job," he said, shaking his head. "Nearly had us there, huh Scooter?" Scott nodded and smiled at Rogue, who was looking pleased with the compliment.

"Let go of me!" Ink yelled, "Get off!"

"I don't think so bub," Logan growled. "Where's the girl?" Rogue nodded in back of her, and when the men looked they saw Alora lying on the floor, a cut on her cheek bleeding quietly and her hair hiding the rest of her face. Logan and Rogue then went on to check their fallen friends while Scott grabbed Ink and Alora and pulled them closer together so they could be watched closer.

"Hello friends, how do you fare?" called a voice. Looking up the others saw Hank, Remy Sr. Danial, the Professor, Bobby, Ororo, Piotr, and Kitty walking towards them, pulling Salla and Mattel behind them.

"Hey guys, you got them?" Kitty said cheerfully. Then she saw Jubilee and Kurt and the group froze.

"Kurt!" Remy Sr. cried, the first to react he rushed forward, but Rogue shook her head.

"He's not dead," she said. "Neither is Jubes, jus' unconscious, we think the gal over there knocked 'em out cold." Hank knelt down by Kurt and checked him while Ororo checked Jubilee.

"He is breathing, and seems fine," Hank said.

"Same with Jubilee," Ororo reported. Xavier sighed.

"Well, that's a relief-" he began, but Danial interrupted.

"Wait, where's Steph and Remy? And the other guy?" he said. Everyone exchanged looks and stopped, the realization they were missing two teenagers dawning on them.

"We need to find them, what if Steph needs out help?" Ororo said. Logan growled.

"If that guy puts one finger on 'er," he said.

"Remy," Remy's father stopped, trying to think of why his son was missing. "_Non_, he must've seen Steph go after de other guy n' went after her, he'd want 'er t' have backup."

"They're in the hall near the medlab," Xavier said, his eyes closed. He opened them. "They do need help."


	19. The Mace

Steph opened the door to the almost pitch-black hallway, lit only by a few emergency lights at long intervals, and stepped out, coming face to face with Ken. Smirking the mutant grabbed her and pinned her to the wall roughly, his hand around her throat as he pushed her easily, ignoring her frantic kicks and punches and grabbing her hands, pressing them into her chest.

"Well now, the little tracker's got caught, hasn't she?" he said, chuckling.

"Leggo!" Steph growled. Ken made a mock-sad face.

"Really? I thought you'd be glad to see me," he said. "Stephanie Logan Munroe, is it? The little screamer? Scream now, show off that voice of yours, babe. Let's kill any of your little friends who might be coming to your rescue." Steph opened her mouth but then closed it, her jaw setting firmly.

"You won't then?" Ken said, laughing he threw her to the floor. "Come then, draw that nice-looking sword of yours, let's see how your father's taught you to use it." Steph tumbled but immediately sprang up, a fierce look in her brown eyes as she grabbed her sword hilt and drew her weapon, using both hands and lowering the blade in front of her.

"Bring it on," she said. Ken laughed and stepped forward and took out his mace. Steph quickly calculated the odds of her winning against this opponent, and realized that her sword wasn't going to help her very much. Nevertheless she leapt forward, bringing her sword above her head in a graceful arc and sweeping it down, the steel glinting in the faint light. But smaller streaks came up to greet it, and when the mace hit the sword the painful vibration was so sharp and strong that as the mace swept up it carried the sword with it, right out of Steph's grasp.

"Hey!" cried an outraged voice. Steph and Ken both turned and saw Remy step out of the shadows, Bo staff held out in front of him and black and red eyes gleaming in the dark.

"Rem!" Steph said, relieved that she hadn't screamed earlier.

"Huh, one of the other brats," Ken said, smiling. He looked back at Steph and laughed. "Well babe, looks like you'll have to go first, then your friend." Steph reached for her nunchuks, but it was too late.

"NO!" Remy screamed in horror as the mace swept up and hit Steph in the chest. Remy heard the sickening crunch of bones shattering mix with Steph's scream of pain as she flew backwards, her bright orange hair gleaming in the dim emergency light glow as she hit the ceiling before the loud thud of her body hitting the floor was heard and her yell died on her lips. Ken walked into the small pool of light and beyond.

"Mm..., yup, she's gone, can you see her?" Ken asked. Remy wasn't sure he wanted to, his breathing quickening as he suddenly became very light headed.

Suddenly the bright florescent lights snapped on, and Remy winced, realizing that the adults must have turned the power back on. When his eyes adjusted he saw Ken, standing over Steph's body with his mace in one hand, blood dripping off the metal spikes and on the already blood-covered floor.

"Look at her," he sneered, and Remy collapsed to his knees when he saw the large gaping hole in her chest, out of which unheard of amounts of blood poured. But worse yet was the frozen look of agony on her face, with her eyes open and jaw hanging loose, and Ken laughed, kicking her forward. "Look at her, the pretty little thing. You know it's too bad you brats had to come and bother us, otherwise she'd still be breathing." Remy could say nothing, leaning on his Bo staff for support as he gasped for breath, uable to process what it meant.

All he could see was the bloody body of his friend in front of him, all he could hear was Steph's last scream. Steph was gone... she was dead....

Suddenly his head jerked up, his eyes so full of hatred and fury that even Ken slightly nervous, though he hid it well.

"That's right," he growled. "Gather your anger, mutie, and every time it starts to leave you, look at you little friend here, look at the bitch I killed." Remy screamed in a rage and leapt up, bursting forward in the blink of an eye and hitting the startled Ken in the chest, sending the boy skidding backwards to the floor. Ken growled and got up just as Remy reared back to kick him, grabbing the younger teen's foot and swinging him, then releasing.

Remy hit the wall hard, but in a flash he was up again.

"I'll kill you!" he screamed. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Ken lunged at him, and Remy also leapt, both boys forgetting their weapons as the struck. Remy was smaller than Ken anyway, but the older boy also had one more advantage.

"Huh," Ken gloated, holding Remy above him and tightening his hand around his throat. "I could lift and strangle an elephant, and you try and take me on in hand-to-hand combat? Stupid little jerk." Remy growled and kicked him hard in the face, making the teen drop him. Had Remy been more alert about his own body he would have paid more attention to his face suddenly prickling and stretching forward slightly, giving him a muzzle, and his tongue getting cut on new, longer fangs that grew from his teeth. Had he been paying more attention he would have realized that purple fur was spreading across the tops of his arms and the sides of his face, and his back. He didn't even noticed his fingernails growing out into wickedly hooked claws. Remy was in such a rage he noticed none of this, only seeing his enemy in front of him.

Ken did notice.

"What the-?!" the teen cried as Remy pounced forward, hitting Ken in the chest and leaving four, long bloody sets of scrapes where his feet and claws hit.

"I'll kill you!" Remy snarled, his speech slurred by his longer face. For the first time a look of fear spread across Ken's face and he scrambled for his fallen mace, but Remy latched onto his arm with his fangs and scraped at Ken's face.

"Arg!" he cried. Remy only bit harder, tasting blood and leather and flesh, but not caring. Ken gabbed Remy's scrambling foot with one hand and flung him off into the wall, racing for his mace, but it didn't slow Remy at all, he hit was wall feet-first and propelled himself forward even faster, hitting Ken and reaching down, grabbing the mace first and in a fury unlike anything the Lab Protector had ever seen before raised it and smashed it forward into Ken's head with all the furious strength he could muster.

"Ah!" Ken screamed, toppling over and falling hard. Remy jumped off him and hit the floor, tumbling and rolling, coming to a stop at Steph's side. As he saw the friend's face all of the anger suddenly drained away, and he choked, crawling to his knees and bringing Steph's head up to his chest as he knelt there, furious tears pouring down his face as his body was wracked with sobs.

"Steph," he moaned, not hearing the silent "No," whisper behind him. Down the hall the elevator door's opened and Remy Sr. and Logan, the first to reach and slide down the stairs, jumped out, freezing when they saw the werewolf Remy sobbing and cradling Steph's head in his arms.

"Remy-" his father choked out.

"Steph!" Logan bellowed, seeing his daughter's chest and the blood surrounding the teens. But Remy was oblivious to all of it, rocking back and forth, unable to move even if he had wanted to. Suddenly a shadow fell on him, and he heard his father's terrified cry as Ken grabbed his mace, bloody face full of hatred. Remy didn't budge an inch, and even as his father and Logan raced forward there was no hope they'd reach him in time, even as Remy Sr. scrambled for a card to throw.

"Brat," Ken hissed, the mace already above his head.

"ROARRRRRR!!!" Ken spun around as Ellen sprang from behind the leader of the Lab Mutants, enveloping him with her fangs and claws. He was dead before the huge tiger body hit the floor with him underneath. A second later Ellen's human hand disgustedly wiped away Ken's blood while Logan and Remy Sr. reached their children.

"Remy," Remy Sr. said softly, gently prying his son away from Steph's body and looking at him. Remy looked up, his eyes empty looking, and his father did the only thing he could, he pulled Remy to him swiftly as tears formed in his own eyes and spilt down his cheeks, Logan's heart-breaking sobs behind them. Ellen just watched, her already pale face now resembling a ghost, her hollow eyes looking at Steph.

"Steph, no," Logan cried into the silent hall. He screamed in rage and pain, face white and shining from the tears pouring down.

"No!"


	20. The Lives

Remy sat, his knees drawn up to his chin as he stared forward, barely breathing, only seeing Steph lying on the med-table ten feet away.

He saw right through Hank, who was running back and forth, trying to save Steph's life, the faintest glimmer that the professor said she was holding onto. Outside he could hear Ororo crying, leaning on Logan, who was barely able to stand himself, but still able to hold his oldest daughter and his children's adopted mother while silent tears poured down his own face.

Remy could hear Kurt praying, and Bobby, Kitty, Piotr, and Jubilee huddled together outside against the wall. A small part of Remy's mind knew that Bobby wanted desperately to try and comfort Rogue, but it was a job for Logan right now, so instead he and Piotr tried to help Kitty and Jubilee, who were both sobbing softly. It was the only way the boys could try to help themselves.

Danial was also sitting, but apart from the others. He, like Remy, was staring off into space, though he was looking at the wall. For a moment he looked over at Remy, but the teen didn't respond and Danial looked away, still frozen with shock for coming downstairs and finding one of his best friends seemingly dead and the other changed into a werewolf.

Ellen was down the hall in tiger form, laying stretched out in front of the door of the holding cell where Mattel, Alora, and Ink waited calmly for the X Men to do something with them. Salla had woken and attacked Ellen, and Logan, being on the edge, grabbed the teen and put his claws to her throat, which was exactly what the savage wanted. After, Ink commented in a mutual voice "she was always the type to die before surrendering."

Remy Sr. and Scott were upstairs, Scott was keeping himself busy checking out the damage done to the mansion, while Remy Sr. contacted his wife and Jean to give them an update, and to ask that they keep the children in the boarding house for a while. Naturally both mothers, after getting over their shock about what happened to Steph and looking equally startled when they saw Remy's changed face wanted to return, but after a little while both agreed that the children not seeing the ripped apart mansion, Steph, and Remy all at once would be for the best.

But Remy didn't pay attention to any of this, it was too meaningless while Steph lay only ten feet away, nearly dead.

---

The days went by, Hank and Xavier and the others when they could working on Steph tirelessly, no one leaving except Scott and Remy, to bring down food for the teens that was always left untouched and the many pots of coffee for Hank, who barely needed or had time for them.

Remy just sat, staring at Steph, not moving or blinking, still in his blood-stained clothes. After a few days Remy Sr. came and sat by him while Hank was running some tests at the computers.

"Your mama says she misses you," the man said softly. Remy didn't reply and Remy Sr. put his arm around his son's shoulders. "I don't t'ink dis look will be permanent, I t'ink when Steph wakes up it'll go 'way, n' maybe you'll smile again, or breathe?" His father looked for any reaction, but Remy gave none, so Remy Sr. just sighed, squeezed his shoulder, and then stood up to visit Ellen and talk with her, like he had been doing for the last day or two. He was also talking with the prisoners, who seemed to loose all will to fight after they'd been captured and their leader killed.

Remy heard none of this. It didn't matter.

---(A Week Later)---

"How is she Hank?" Logan said, sitting by his daughter's bed and looking more tired than anyone besides Hank himself, his unshaven face and sunken eyes making him look almost like a corpse as he blinked in the bright lights, one large hand enveloping Steph's slender hand. Before the doctor could speak he whispered "truth", and Hank paused, looking just as hassled as Logan.

"You know that five ribs broke, as far as I can tell they are healing fine," he said. "Blood... I have replaced it, but she may need another transplant, but her stitches seem to be healing as they're supposed to. Still no sign of her waking...." Logan's eyes traveled over to Remy, who was still sitting in the same place, the only one besides him and Hank who had not left the medbay, the only one who hadn't moved or spoken at all since he took his position on the chair.

"Will... will she make it?" he managed to ask the unthinkable question up until then. Hank looked at Steph's face for a long time.

"She may, I think she will," he said in an even voice. "Yes, sweet Stephanie will pull through this, she is a warrior with more than a pretty profile."

"Logan! Hank!" The two men looked up as Jean walked through the doors, looking worried and stopping for a moment when she saw Steph and the two men. "You look terrible," she said.

"Welcome back Jean," Hank said wearily. Jean quickly examined Steph, then put her hand on Logan's shoulder, looking at him and Hank.

"Have you two slept at all?" she asked, then shook her head. "Both of you need rest, _now_." Hank and Logan started to protest but Jean gave them a withering look.

"No," she said simply. "I'll look after Steph for a while, I'm fine after the trip. If you too stay up any longer however, you might get seriously ill."

"She's right," Hank said, looking at Logan, who looked at Steph.

"Yeh said she'd pull through?" he said. Hank nodded and Logan got up, kissing his daughter softly on the forehead.

"Remy?" Jean said suddenly, spotting the teen. She looked at Hank worriedly. "How long has he been like that?"

"Since the eve of the battle," Hank said. "We've tried to move him, to no avail. It seems our young friend will only wake with his companion."

"Oh no," Jean said, looking worried.

"What is it Red?" Logan demanded. Jean looked at them.

"He's barely moved?" she said.

"He hasn't moved, he barely breathes," Logan grumbled.

"Then we may have more than one life on the line," Jean said grimly. Both men looked at her and then from Remy to Steph.

"Steph," Logan whispered. "Wake up, for yer sake, everyone's sakes, if no one else's, Remy's."


	21. The Recovery

Jean sighed as she redid the bandages around the awful-looking cuts held together by more stitches then the doctor wanted to think about, all residing halfway between Steph's neck and left shoulder.

The bandages were clearly made by bleary eyes, not as tight or neat as Hank would ever allow had he been running on full steam when he did them. She finished re-doing the bandages and looked at Steph's face for a moment, then carefully put her hands over the teen's head and closed her eyes in concentration.

"Jean?" Jean's concentration broke when Milana hurried through the door. "Oh, I'm sorry if I-"

"Remy's there," Jean said, smiling to show no harm had been done, quiet the opposite, it was looking more hopeful for Steph now, the life was slowly coming back to her broken body. Milana looked and found Remy at a speed only a mother can find her son, and she hurried over, gently lifting his chin, feeling the tense muscles reluctantly give way as his eyes slid up to meet hers. Smiling sadly Milana held Remy's unfocused gaze for a moment and then wrapped her arms around him as his chin fell back to his knees.

"Oh baby," she said in a hushed tone, closing her eyes and rocking Remy back and forth. "Oh Remy, why won't you answer me?"

"Don't worry Milana," Jean assured her. "I have a feeling soon this will be over, maybe sooner than Hank predicted last night. Then both you and Remy and Logan and Ororo will have your children back." Milana smiled.

"And Remy will be my baby boy again," she whispered, forehead touching Remy's.

---

Hank walked into the medbay a week later, having been again evicted from the room by Jean until she was satisfied with his energy levels, refreshed and more awake then he had been in weeks. He found Jean snoozing in the chair at the computer terminal and Milana and Remy Sr. sleeping with Remy, immobile as ever, between them. Even Kurt was there, leaning against the wall and smiling at Hank.

"Good morning," he said in a hushed voice, smiling at his family. "Milana vould not leave Remy, so they all spent the night. There vos even room for the old man," he said.

"I see," Hank said.

"Steph is getting stronger," Kurt said, beaming now. "Her breathing- I heard her murmur in her sleep to, a vhile ago. Perhaps she vill vake today, it vill help her family out a great deal, and Remy." Hank smiled, his worry considerably lessened at the news.

"She was murmuring in her sleep?" he said. Walking over to Jean he gently shook her shoulder. Sighing the red haired woman opened her eyes and yawned, stretching.

"Oh, hello Hank, sleep well?" she asked. Hank nodded.

"And Steph did as well it seems, murmuring in her sleep," he said. Jean smiled.

"Great, I'm sure Logan and Ororo would like to hear that, not to mention Rogue," her smile faltered. "The only time I've seen them cry..." Hank patted her shoulder.

"They will smile soon, laugh too," he assured her. She nodded and stood up, stretching. "You go get some sleep, no sense in you getting near the point I was at," he said, directing her to the door.

"Yes, but first I'll tell the Logan-Munroe family the good news," she yawned.

"You go to sleep," Kurt said, getting up. "Von thing I am still good at it getting messages around, I vill tell them."

"Thank you Kurt," Jean said, then left the room. Kurt nodded to Hank and then disappeared in a puff of blue smoke, waking Milana and Remy Sr.

"Hmm? Oh, hello Hank," Milana said, stretching, a concerned look on her face. "How is Steph?"

"Much better," Hank replied. Remy Sr. yawned loudly and stood up.

"Dat's good," he said. "You hear dat Rem? Steph's gonna be up in no time, right Hank?"

"Sounds like it," Hank said, and the adults watch Remy for a sign of life. Milana sighed as Remy Sr. gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Don' worry petite," he whispered to her, keeping his forehead on the side of her head. "He'll be fine, soon as 'is friend wakes up."

"Of course," Milana said, squeezing his hand.

----

"Is she up yet?" Logan growled, bursting into the medbay with the rest of his family behind him, Rogue holding Ruhko in her arms.

"Teffy!" the child cried, seeing Steph and squirming to get to her.

"No shugah," Rogue said quietly. "Ya can't climb on Steph yet."

"Teffy!" Ruhko wailed, kicking harder.

"Quiet kid," Logan said, in a haunted tone that made even Ruhko go quiet. He looked at Hank, who shook his head.

"Soon though, I think. Kurt said he heard her talking in her sleep, and that's a very good sign," he said.

"Oh, thank god," Ororo breathed, eyes closed while she put a hand over her heart. She was smiling when she opened her eyes. "Thank you so much Hank."

"Yeah," Logan grunted, "I owe yeh Blue, big time." Hank smiled and shook his head.

"The mansion would never be the same without sweet Stephanie creating havoc every free moment," he said. Ororo nodded and bit her lip.

"I know," she whispered softly, and Logan put his arm around her. Then he looked at Remy.

"Remy n' Milana are probably jus' as worried 'bout LeBeau Jr. there," he said softly.

"Emy!" Ruhko squealed.

"No," Rogue said. "Yoh friend's havin' alone tahme now Ruhko, you can't bother him either."

"Emy?" Ruhko pouted, then looked grumpy. "Fine."

----

Steph's eyes fluttered for a moment, and then she raised her head carefully.

"Ow," she said, as a pain raced through her chest and head at the same moment. A bright light was keeping her from seeing anything, but as her vision slowly adjusted she could make out a large form just in front of her.

"Stephanie?" she heard a familiar laugh and the light was switched off, revealing Hank, still chuckling as he reached out and held her chin up. "Welcome back, fair warrior, to a land you have not seen for weeks. The lack of your energy brought on by sugar has made the fort a dull place indeed."

"Hank?" Steph said softly, smiling. "What are you talking about?" Hank chuckled.

"We've missed you," he said. "A lot." Steph coughed, and looked around, then suddenly saw a wall of white and felt strong arms enveloping her, pulling her close to the fabric wall.

"Steph!" Logan choaked. After a moment he let go and to her utter amazement she saw a couple tears sliding his rough cheeks.

"Dad?" she said, he hastily wiped away the tears and tried to growl, but instead laughed as Ororo pulled Steph into another tight hug. "Mom?"

"Oh Steph," was all she could get out.

"Hey! What about me?" Rogue said, pulling Steph away a kissing her sister on the cheek. Steph grinned and looked Rogue straight in the eye.

"What about you?" she replied evenly. Rogue sniffed and started to cry all at once, pulling Steph into a tighter hug than either parents had dared with her injuries.

"She's bahk!" the southern girl said happily. The adults chuckled and Logan had to wipe away another tear before he could look at the others again.

"There's someone else who needs yer welcome," he said, putting a hand on Steph's shoulder. "Hurry up, 'fore he turns into a rock." Steph looked over and she saw Remy's head, which had bowed, hiding his face before she saw it. His hands and feet though, were in clear view, and as Hank and Logan helped her get closer Steph saw the fur on his face.

"Rem?" she said in an awed voice. All of a sudden Remy looked up, stared at Steph for a long time, blinked, and a huge smile formed on his wolfish face.

Steph whistled. "Whoa, what happened to you?" she said. Remy barked out a laugh as she sat next to him, looking at his face and taking his hands in her own. He also examined them for the first time.

"Guess we know I got more from my ma den de hair, huh chere?" he said. Steph nodded, eyes wide.

"Guess so, jeez!" she said. Remy let out a huge sigh, and all at once, to everyone's amazement, his features started to change again. Slowly, from the half man, half wolf face Remy's old features appeared. The fangs shrank back into the slightly pointed teeth he had had before, and the fur receded as his hands and face slowly returned to normal.

Remy looked at himself in shock as the rest of the adults gaped at him.

"It appears that Remy Sr. was correct in his assumption that his son would return to normal once Stephanie awoke," Hank said, looking impressed. "Perhaps a furthered mutation?"

"Whoa," Logan said. "Lookin' better kid."

"I dunno, I think wolf-boy suited you more," Steph laughed. Remy smiled and looked down.

"Y' break my heart, petite," he said. Steph grinned and patted his cheek lightly.

"It's what I was made to do, it seems," she said. "That and eat, I'm starving!"


	22. The Effects

(2 Weeks later)

Remy sighed as he heard a loud crash and a yelp of pain followed quickly by "I didn't do it!" and Steph quickly ran out of the rec room, wincing as she heard her father.

"Steph! What did yeh do this time?!"

"Nothing!" Steph yelled back, spotting Remy leaning against the wall and shook her head, moving as fast as she could with the extremely tight bandages that still bound her chest to help her ribs heal correctly. Making a slashing motion across her throat she grabbed Remy's jacket and pulled him down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Whatcha do chere?" Remy asked. Steph looked indignant.

"Is it so hard to believe I can stay out of trouble for three minutes?" she demanded.

"Yes," Remy said, nodding and smiling. Steph grunted.

"Some friend you are," she growled. "It wasn't me, it was the wind."

"De wind broke de new lamp?" Remy asked, and eyebrow raised.

"Yes!" Steph said, sighing and wincing as she tripped and jerked her bandages. "I opened the window and the wind blew the lamp over, you saw the size of the shade on that thing! Crazy."

"It wasn't the wind, Steph," Jean said, walking into the kitchen and smiling at the teens, who looked up, started. "You knocked it over with your arm when you were raising the window." Steph winced.

"Well... do ya have to tell dad?" she asked innocently. Jean chuckled.

"No, I won't," she said. Steph gave Remy a high five. "I'll let you tell him." Steph froze and then groaned.

"I uh, have to go get my bandages off now, I'll tell him later," she said quickly, leaving the room. Jean arched an eyebrow.

"Whenever I call her down for a checkup she takes as long as possible to get down there, yet when I'm not the doctor on duty she's always right on time for her check-ups," she said, shaking her head and looking at Remy. "Did I offend her at all?" Remy hid a smile.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "Nah, she jus' likes talkin' t' de Doc, dey are really close." Jean just shook her head.

Remy sighed and thought of his friend, who two weeks ago had woken out of coma and was now so active that Kurt was heard making the remark that it had to be a miracle the mansion was standing every morning when he woke up. But for the most part no one really cared, and the younger children were anxiously waiting until they could rough-house with the teenager again.

Remy was still recovering from the shock he had had after the fight with Ken, getting nervous if Steph slept in late or was quiet for too long. It was pointed out by both doctors and Steph herself that she would of course be tired while healing, but as unfounded Remy's fear was did not change the fact that it was there, like the impulse he had whenever he got scared or angry to put a hand up to his face, or look into every mirror he passed, wondering if he would transform again.

Remy and Danial hadn't talked since the incident, Remy thought the teen was still unsettled, and knew the red head boy was spending the bulk of his time with Ellen down outside the holding cell, sometimes helping his father and the other adults interrogate the three mutants that remained under their custody.

Feeling very alone suddenly Remy made his way down the hall and to the staircase, where Logan, Scott, and Remy Sr. were overseeing the repairs of the stairs and the walls around, the students bustling around. Remy Sr. smiled as his son came up and handed him a brush.

"Hey," he said. "Why don' ya go help Logan fix de banister?" Remy smiled and took the brush.

"Sounds good t' me," he said.

"Hank!" Steph said, flying through the door and hitting him in the chest, making the doctor grunt and catch her, laughing.

"Stephanie?" he said, looking down as his glasses nearly slid down his nose. "Was thou not told by the professor that you were to stop flying through halls?"

"I wasn't flying through the halls," she said sweetly, looking up at him. "I flew through the doors and the medlab, I ran down the halls." Hank laughed and walked over to a med table, putting Steph down on it and smiling.

"Ready to get those bandages off?" he asked. Steph rolled her eyes.

"Am I ever, I feel like I've been wearing a corset for the last few weeks, but when I told dad he said it was 'cause I've been eating too much. I love my father, but he could learn some compassion!" Hank arched an eyebrow.

"Eating too much? Have you even troubled yourself to open the diet sheet I gave you to help your body heal?" he asked. Steph grinned and shrugged off her Levi jacket, revealing the tight bandages that covered a tank-top.

"I did, actually," she said. "Just like you told me to." Hank smiled.

"And did you follow it, sweet Stephanie?" he asked. Steph nodded.

"Yes," She sighed with exaggerated hopelessness.

"Then why would your father make such a remark?" he asked. Steph murmured something and Hank sighed as he took some scissors and carefully began to cut the bandages. "I'm afraid my ears did not catch the soft coo you emitted a moment ago," he said, still grinning. Steph looked sheepishly at him.

"Well, I ate everything you told me to," she said. "And some cookies... well... um, a lot of cookies."

"Stephanie? How many cookies did you eat?" Hank asked as he finished cutting through the bandages and took the off, getting out his stethoscope and starting to do a quick checkup. Steph shook her head.

"Not telling, and nothing ya do can make me tell," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. Hank shrugged and then grinned evilly.

"I suppose an old man like I is at a loss when I meet a stubborn young teenager like yourself," he stopped and Steph coughed.

"Uh, Hank? I don't like it when your voice gets all creepy like that... please start talking normally again, or as normal as you ever sound," she said.

"Like this?" Hank asked innocently, jumping forward and starting to tickle her mercilessly. Steph burst out laughing and started to squeal, trying to get away.

"No! Stoppit! No no no, stoppit you big oaf!" But the rest was lost to her laughter.

"Am I interruptin' somethin'?" Logan said, walking through the door and arching an eyebrow. Hank stopped tickling Steph and shook his head as she caught her breath, still squirming.

"You, brave junior, are as fit as a flea, though I strongly recommend you remain less active for another week," Hank said, looking at Steph. Logan chuckled.

"Remain less active?" he repeated. "Haven't yeh heard Blue? This daughter o' mine broke a lamp jus' this mornin' after runnin' through the mansion n' wakin' everyone up when she chased LeBeau Jr. all over the dormitory floors." Steph winced at the reference to the lamp and then grinned sheepishly at Hank, who just shook his head.

"Please make this morning one of your last escapades for few days, at least," he said. Steph nodded.

"Aye, anything else?" she said saluting him.

"No more cookies," Hank said, smiling, "And no sports yet either, your ribs are nearly healed but they remain more fragile than normal, and I have seen your fearless antics in most games."

"Football isn't football if you don't tackle people!" Steph protested.

"True, but you usually tackle the person who is in possession of the ball," Hank replied evenly. "Not those who are behind you, or on your own team."

"They were in my way!" Steph said defensively. Logan grunted.

"The spectators too, huh?" he said, snapping his fingers with mock anger. "Yeah, they jus' can't keep t' the indoors, they're right in the way on the sidelines." Steph made a "humph" noise.

"I apologized to Kurt," she said sullenly. Her father and Hank laughed.

"So, Sir Logan, on what quest do you delve into these facilities?" the furry man asked. Logan seemed to snap back to reality as he remembered why he had come.

"Chuck's called a meetin'," he said. "T' clear up the rest o' the story, Cyke n' Dan have finally got the truth outta the mutant group, well, the green haired kid anyway, the other two flatly refuse t' talk." Steph smiled.

"If only you were like that, dad," she said. Logan growled and picked up her jacket and gently pushed her out of the medlab in front of him, while Hank followed from behind.

"Same could be said fer you," he replied.


End file.
